FISHES AND FISHING. 55 



tion of millions of salmon, and for what ? Why, to 

 excite a species of taste for cannibalism amongst that 

 class of animals, and to gratify some would-be- angler, 

 who has not skill enough to take fish by legitimate me 

 thods recognised by all true sportsmen! I have been 

 told by a gentleman, upon whose word I think de 

 pendence may be placed, that a tackle-maker, who 

 professes publicly to point out the necessity of pro 

 tecting salmon from being unfairly caught by small- 

 meshed nets, obtains, and sells 500lbs. weight of this 

 roe nearly every year ! 



The liquor of the oyster, it is asserted, contains 

 incredible multitudes of small embryo, covered 

 with little shells, perfectly transparent, swimming 

 nimbly about. One hundred and twenty of these 

 in a row, would not exceed one inch. Besides these 

 young oysters, the liquor contains a great variety of 

 animalculse, five hundred times less in size, which 

 emit a phosphoric light. The list of inhabitants, how 

 ever, does not conclude here ; for, besides these last- 

 mentioned, there are three distinct species of worms, 

 called the oyster worm, half an inch long, found in 

 oysters, which shine in the dark like glow-worms. 

 A good microscope is necessary. 



Amongst the voluminous evidence obtained by the 

 Committee of the House of Commons, there is no 

 mention of southern rivers j the fact is well authenti- 



