NATURALIZATION OF FRESH-WATER FISH. 107 



every one who has eaten it, as one of the best 

 fishes of the country. At a more recent period, the 

 Goramy has been transported into the French West 

 Indian Islands, where the experiment affords the 

 most flattering prospects of success. In the Annates 

 Maritimes et Coloneales for 1827, it is mentioned 

 that one hundred specimens of this fish, in the 

 young state, were embarked from the Isle of France 

 in 1819, out of which number twenty-three died on 

 the voyage, and the remainder were distributed to 

 Cayenne, Guadaloupe, and Martinique, where they 

 have thriven beyond expectation. Lacepede ex- 

 pressed a hope concerning this fish, that by being 

 introduced into Europe it might there supply " une 

 oouriture pas chere, exquise, salubre, et tres abon- 

 dante." — To these anticipations concerning the 

 Goramy, we may add the opinion of a not less 

 distinguished English philosopher, concerning the 

 introduction into Britain of several other kinds of 

 fishes. " The Barbotte or Lotte," says Sir H. Davy, 

 " which already exists in some of the streams tribu- 

 tary to the Trent, and which is a most admirable 

 fish, might be diffused without much difficulty; 

 and nothing could be more easy than to naturalize 

 the Spiegil, Carp, and Siluris ; nor do I see any 

 reason why the Perca lucio and P. zingel should 

 not succeed in some of our clear lakes and ponds. 

 The Zoological Society," he adds, " will, I hope, 

 attempt something of this sort; and it will be a 

 better object than introducing birds and beasts of 

 prey." (Salmonia, p. 259). 



