4i8 



AMERICAN FISHES. 



It is very interesting to a fish culturist to visit the sites of mediaeval 

 abbeys in England and trace out the remains of the immense stews or 

 ponds in which the provident monks of old were wont to rear Carp and 

 Tench and eels. The pond culture of England in the Middle Ages was 

 very extensive, but has not been resumed in later days. On the conti- 

 nent, especially in Germany, however, it has been continued, and there 

 are many excellent treatises on " Teichwirthschaft." 



THE TENCH. 



The Tench, Tinea vulgaris, the Schleihe of Germany, and the Tanche 

 of France has already become acclimated in our waters, particularly in the 

 Potomac, and will soon be available for the uses of anglers. It frequents 

 streams and ponds with muddy bottoms, and is partial to weedy places. 

 It is exceedingly tenacious of life, and even when grown in foul water has 

 delicate white flesh, which many prefer to that of the Carp. Both Tench 

 and Carp are better if kept in clear, cool water for a few days, and the 

 slime should be washed off their scales with warm water before they are , 

 cooked. I have eaten the Schlei in Bremen, and can speak well of it 

 for m flavor and texture it resembles the American bluefish. My 

 praise is, however, but feeble compared with that of Badham, who writes : 



" In spite of the prejudice entertained by some Italian doctors, and all 

 the old women of Italy, who believe this fish to be so impregnated with 

 marsh malaria as necessarily to engender ague. 



Nessuno mangia tenca 

 Che febre non senta. 



At Florence it is held superior to any fishy food which enters the market, 

 and in the Neapolitan pescheria yields to very few finer marine species. A 



