66 REPORT ON ARTIFICIAL FISH-CULTURE. 



be retained till the moment of hatching their 

 eggs, as they carry them under the tail like the 

 craw-fish. If the experiment succeed, and these 

 spawn increase on the spot sufficiently fast, they 

 may be fattened in these vast receptacles. If on 

 the contrary, the conditions are unfavorable, they 

 should be at liberty to go at large to seek an- 

 other spot and stock our coasts. 



But this is not the only use to which these 

 marshes can be put. The sea-fish are too much 

 liked not to suggest the means of multiplying 

 them, either by artificial fecundation, or by 

 transporting the young fish of certain kinds. In 

 favoring the realization of such an enterprise, 

 the state will have created in a few years, ponds 

 much richer than the artificial piscines which 

 were dug at so great an expense by the Homans, 

 by the Gulf of Naples ; piscines among which, 

 however, those of Lucullus produced no less 

 than four million sesterces, at a sale where pre- 

 sided Cato of Utica, in quality of tutor to the 

 son of this famous epicurean. The care of these 

 immense reservoirs would be confided to the 

 custom officers of the coast, and would not in- 

 volve, consequently expense beyond that of fish- 

 ing in the waters. 



While these measures were taken to secure the 

 multiplication of salt-water fish, it would natu- 



