On the Naturalization of Fhh,f 327. 



creation as ourselves; as if that creation, which outnumbers 

 ourselves by raiUions of millions almost beyond algebra to 

 express, was not, like ourselves, under His care. They are^ 

 easily killed by violence ; they kill themselves by over-exertion, 

 from anatomical peculiarities ; as every trout-fisher knows ; 

 that is to say, the fact, not the cause. Let them be treated, 

 with gentleness when taken, as if they could feel ; and they 

 will not die in being removed into a cask of water. The flat 

 fish are all peculiarly tenacious of life, so are all those of firm 

 muscles generally : the vitality of the carp and of the minnow, 

 also is notorious; and so it is as to many other kinds. All 

 these can be removed and carried far, even in straw ; but ia 

 truth, he who chooses to make his experiments like a philo- 

 sopher, and who desires to succeed, will not fail. 



Yet let me point out what I have suggested to Mr. Arnold, 

 among other things: to him, whose merit as an ardent experi- 

 menter, always ready to adopt a reasonable suggestion, and 

 never seeking for an objection, ought to stamp his character as 

 a genuine follower of the true philosophy ; the exception, in 

 this particular case, to every one else. This is, to adopt the 

 Chinese method of transporting the spawn of fishes ; as affording 

 a far greater facility to the introduction of species* I presume 

 that the general fact must be known to your readers ; though I 

 believe that I ought to doubt; because I quoted the same 

 practice from Columella formerly, as in use among the most 

 ancient Romans, among the common farmers. 



This substance is perpetually brought up by the trawl net, very, 

 injuriously, as it relates to fisheries; and in many cases, the 

 fishermen contrive to guess tolerably well to what fish it belongs. 

 That it may be transported to any distance, the familiar practice 

 of China proves : since it is there a common article of sale in the 

 markets ; while there also, I may incidentally remark, the culti- 

 vation of fish for sale, their transportation to market, and their 

 replacement in the ponds, if unsold, is as much matter of ordinary 

 farming as the management of a poultry-yard ; while the pond 

 is often the most profitable part of the farm. They also, who 

 do not already chance to know it, may be informed, that this 

 species of poultry-yard, or fish-pond, is as easily and regularly 



