252 GOBIOIDES. 



tions, to grasp everything within its reach. In 

 the marsh ponds before alluded to, in speaking of 

 the neshaw-eel, at Martha's Vineyard, it is said 

 there are an abundance of oysters, but of a quality 

 that totally forbids their use. Necessity will pro- 

 bably hereafter compel people to eat them, and it 

 is worth the while to institute some experi- 

 ments with reference to that object. Were they 

 transplanted to the mouths of rivers, and suffered 

 to remain one or two seasons, it is altogether pro- 

 bable that they would increase in size, and become 

 so totally changed in quality, as to be tender, 

 nutritious and perfectly wholesome. 



All the sources of profit and economy arising 

 from the fisheries, are not yet developed, in this 

 country, nor will they be, till absolute necessity 

 obliges individuals to investigate these rich and 

 unexplored resources of our country. From the 

 squid, cartloads of which may be raked up in a 

 day, at some particular places, the Chinese pro- 

 cure the material for manufacturing india ink ; and 

 the Sicilians, from the same liquor, prepare a rich 

 valuable kind of soup. 



When this creature is closely pursued, and there 

 is no other way of escape, it spirts this black fluid 

 into the water, which in a moment is so generally 

 diffused, as to resemble a dark cloud, through 

 which the pursuer cannot see, and thus the cuttle- 



