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protect the fish from the heat of the sun. But one ought to remember that for 

 the channels through which the piscina receives its water, Wass gratings with 

 narrow openings should be fixed, by wliich the escape of the fish may be pre- 

 vented. If space permit, it will be advisable to place in different parts of the 

 pond rocks from the shore cluthed with sea-weed, and thus, so far as the ingenuity 

 of man can contrive, to represent the actual appearance of the sea, in order that 

 the confined fishes may be as little as possible aware of their imprisonnitnt. 

 In this way we shall lead the aquatic flock to their appointed stalls. Even in 

 matters connected with water it may be well for us to remember the old precept 

 connected with land questions, ' whatever each region may produce ' ; for we 

 could not be able — however much we wished it— to feed in a, vivarium a. multi- 

 tude of red mullet — as we sometimes have seen in the sea — because this kind is 

 very delicate and impatient of captivity. Rarely indeed, but one or two out of 

 many thousands endures confinement ; but on the other hand, we frequently 

 witness within the barriers marine shoals of the sluggish grey-mullet and the 

 rapacious basse. Therefore, as I had proposed, let us consider the nature of our 

 shore ; and if we see it to be rocky, let us approve (and make our stew rocky). 

 Many kinds of turdi, merulce, and greedy mustelce, also the spotless lupi let us 

 introduce into the pond ; other rock-loving fishes, if they are of any value, may 

 be introduced, for the worthless host it does not pay to capture, let alone to feed. 



" Those kinds which belong to a sandy shore may be kept in the stews ; but 

 shores which are full of slime and mud are, as I said before, better suited for shell- 

 fish and creatures which lie on the bottom. A site of a store-pond which suits flat 

 fishes may not suit other kinds ; the same kind oi Jood may not do for flat fishes 

 and for those that swim erect ; for soles, turbots, and such like animals, a shallow 

 depression of two feet is made in that part of the shore which is never left by the 

 retreating tide. Then many closely-placed bars are placed on the sides (of the 

 ponds) which are always high above the sea-water even when the waves swell. 

 By and by embankments (moles) are thrown up around, so as to form an enclosure 

 and rise above the height of the pond, for by this means the fury of the sea is 

 broken by the base of the embankment, and the fish in calm water are not dis- 

 turbed from their places, and the pond is not filled by a heap of sea-weed cast up 

 in storms by the force of the sea. In some places also it will be necessary to in- 

 terject earthworks of a meandering form with small and narrow passages, which 

 will admit of the sea-water without the waves at the most tempestuous times. 



"Flat fish require softer food than those which dwell near the rocks, because 

 they are either without teeth, or lick their food or swallow it entire, but cannot 

 chew it. Therefore you should oflter them dripping halec, bits of salt chalcis, 

 putrid sardine, the giljs of scari, or any part of the intestines of the pelamis or 

 lacertus, the bellies of mackerel, dog fish, and elacatew, and not to mention full 

 particulars, all the salted refuse swept from the fishmongers' shops. 



" We have mentioned many kinds, not because all may be had from all shores, 

 but in order that out of these, we may offer some which you may obtain. It an- 

 swers also to give them green figs which have been opened, and the mild arbute- 

 fruit broken by the fingers, and the soft crushed fruit of the service tree (Pyrui 



