380 Mr. Mill on changing the Residence of Fishes. [May, 



communication with some fresh water lake or river), it is giving 

 the species credit for greater sagacity than we usually find 

 amongst the animal creation. In ascending fresh water rivers, 

 they surmount the most surprising difficulties; wears or dams 

 of 15 feet in perpendicular height do not present an effectual 

 obstacle to their progress, they are enabled by a spring or leap 

 to pass them with ease. After having deposited their spawn, 

 they become lean and covered with vermin, and fishermen assert, 

 unless then suffered to return to the sea, they die ; but this is one 

 of the vulgar notions which it is my business to controvert. In 

 order to ascertain whether sea water was necessary for the exist- 

 fence and growth of the salmon, I caught some of the fry of this 

 fish as they were retreating to the sea with an artificial fly, and 

 preserved them alive in order to transport them to a fish-pond ; 

 the dimension of which was about 30 yards square, with a clay 

 bottom covered with nvad ; the depth of the water was from 

 three to four feet, and the pond supplied with a running stream ; 

 when first caught they measured from the tip of the nose to the 

 tip of the tail four inches : about twelve months afterwards, the 

 pond was overflowed, when some of the fish, together with some 

 trout, were left dry ; they now measured in length eight inches, 

 and assumed the shape and appearance of a lean salmon. If, 

 therefore, the young salmon will live for twelve months in a space 

 of thirty yards square, and three feet deep, and increase in size, 

 the presumption is, that in water where it may range at large, 

 and procure that food and situation which are most congenial to 

 its habits, it would attain its usual size. In propagating this 

 fish in fresh water, the greatest facility presents itself by trans- 

 porting its ova or spawn, which is readily discovered in places 

 frequented by salmon, to the places intended for its propagation, 

 choosing as nearly as possible the same situation as that from, 

 which it has been removed. 



The Chinese far exceed even the ancient Romans in the care 

 they bestow upon the propagation of the finny tribe. At certain 

 seasons of the year, they carefully collect all the ova as fast as it 

 is deposited by the fishes to prevent its being devoured by the 

 other tribes; they then procure some eggs, and after making a 

 hole in each end, and blowing the inside of it through, the ova 

 is introduced ; and the ends being closed, the egg is placed in 

 an oven of a certain temperature until the young fry nearly make 

 their appearance, when the shell is broken, and the contents put 

 into water warmed by the sun's rays. When the young brood 

 procured by this means attain a certain size, a portion of it is 

 applied for the purposes of food for the larger species of fish, 

 and the remainder is destined for the table. 



Your obedient servant, N. Mill. 



