THE FISHERIES. 79 



we are very far from doing so, that this proceeding 

 with reference to the artificial propagation of fish, is 

 not, on the part of our continental neighbours, a step 

 in the right direction. Let us examine into it more 

 particularly. Two French fishermen, named Gehin 

 and Remy, set themselves to work, some years back, 

 to replenish by artificial means, the stock of trout in 

 the streams of their native district (the department 

 of the Vosges) ; and very successful results having 

 attended their efforts, the French Government has 

 at length engaged their services, with the view of 

 carrying out these processes on a more extensive 

 scale. The methods here adverted to, of producing 

 fish by artificial means, are not now heard of, for the 

 first time in our own islands : on the contrary, many 

 years ago, in Scotland, Mr. John Shaw, a gentleman 

 connected with the Scottish fisheries, carried on these 

 processes in a very systematic form, adjacent to the 

 river Nith ; from the year 1833, when his experi- 

 ments first commenced, until their publication in 

 1836. It is but just, however, to state, that Jacobi, 

 a German naturalist, was the first discoverer of this 

 method of artificial production, although Count Gol- 

 stein, another German, communicated it to the public. 

 Mr. Shaw, however, in the experiments we are about 

 to refer to, was the first to direct this discovery to 

 practical purposes, and he succeeded perfectly, not only 

 in producing salmon-fry by the methods referred to, 

 but also in retaining them in his enclosures, and fish- 

 ponds, near the river, during the several stages of 



