326"' On (he Naiurallzatiou of Fish; 



of the general habits of fishes, merely as we know them already, 

 and even of their anatomy, will go far to lay the foundation of 

 useful rules on this head, even without a hazardous trial, which 

 may ultimately not become in our power to remedy, as I much 

 fear may prove the case with respect to these unlucky basse. 

 Not to enter on this further than as it may serve for a general 

 illustration of what is here meant, the anatomy of the mullet 

 proves that it lives on worms ; on the lumbricus marinus, and 

 others ; and so do its habits. So also may the very food of 

 others, as found in the stomach, serve to indicate their natural 

 or ordinary food. Reversely, the anatomy of a cod's jaws, and 

 its stomach also, prove it to be omnivorous, omnivoracious. 

 Or, further, the anatomical character of the diodon proves that 

 it eats shell- fish,; as we are equally able to limit the range of 

 food in the flat-fish which have no air-bladders, and cannot 

 quit the ground. ^uoatK 



But in this brief communication, I must not enter further 

 into this subject than is necessary for mere illustration. I may 

 take some further opportunity to point out the probabilities, as 

 to mutual food and protection, in any artificial cultivation of 

 this nature, as they might be derived from studying the little 

 that we do know about the structure and habits of fishes. All 

 that I need add here, is, that I have suggested the introduction 

 of limpets, periwinkles, and cockles; as affording food without 

 furnishing enemies : a matter which had been overlooked. To 

 exterminate the enemies which have been unwarily introduced^ 

 will not prove so easy a task; unless, at least, we could find 

 their natural enemies ; find the great secret by which alone, 

 in all cases, man can make war on those whom neither his 

 artillery, his physic, nor his politics can reach. 



The transportation of fishes has been objected to as difficult. 

 I had occasion to make some remarks on this formerly, and on 

 the vitality of some kinds. The difficulty is not so great as 

 has been imagined. The fact generally is, that fishermen, 

 even down to the very sentimentalists who Avorship the gentle 

 Izaak, and who are sometimes scarcely possessed of the wit of 

 a fish, treat them as they would a stone ; as if they had not 

 livesj ^d ^ills, and opinions, and were not part -of the same 



