170 ESOCES. 



when it may legally be fished for. Nothing can 

 be more absurd than the whole course of legisla- 

 tion on this subject. Look at the statute book, 

 and the reader will find as many unphilosophical 

 and absurd restrictions, on man's natural propen- 

 sity for angling, as ever were printed ; and man- 

 ifestly at variance with the design of our Creator. 

 No other confirmation of this remark is necessary, 

 beside the total disregard in which the edicts are 

 held by all classes of citizens. 



The money which has been actually expended 

 in legislating on the " Alewives in Taunton Great 

 River" would have constructed a monument of 

 their bones, as high as the incipient granite me- 

 mento on Bunker Hill, which would have been 

 more marvellous, and decidedly of as much utility 

 as anything the operation of the laws have effect- 

 ed for the Taunton Great River alewives. 



The fisheries in China are free to all ; there are 

 no- restrictions on any of the great rivers, lakes or 

 canals. The subject of the protection of the fish- 

 eries is not once mentioned in the Leu-lee, but 

 the heavy duties on salt, renders the use of salt 

 fish, in China, an article of food almost unknown : 

 beside nets, the line, and spear, the ingenious peo- 

 ple of that country have a peculiar method offish- 

 ing with the Cormorant, pelicanus piscator, which 

 extends all over the empire. The bird is taught 



