152 FISH HATCHING. 



in the Isle of Skye. This was in the year 

 1831. When the weather got very warm, 

 the skin of the eel, from which an oily sub- 

 stance oozed out, w^as found covered every 

 morning with small midges, as thick as fur 

 on a lady's boa. This was shaken over the 

 tub, when the little fish sprang up and 

 swallowed them greedily. Numbers of the 

 fish were found dead, with small black swel- 

 lings like balls in their stomachs, which when 

 they were opened, and the balls spread out 



under a microscope, were found to be the 

 dead flies packed closely together. The fish 



were therefore more sparingly fed with them, 



and, so far as food wxnt, seemed to be 



healthy." 



Acting on this hint, I obtained through the 



kindness of Mr. Hall of Farningham, a bottle 



