16 



FOOD OF FISHES. 



with two or three spawns. The bait will hold one 

 week, if you keep it on any longer, you must hang it up 

 to dry a little ; when you go to your pleasure again, 

 put the bait in a little water, it will come in kind 

 again." 



Mr. Chetham directs for the preparation of salmon 

 spawn, to sprinkle it with a little salt, laying it upon 

 wool in a pot, one layer of wool and another of spawn 

 alternately, till the pot is filled. The direction given by 

 the Rev. W. B. Daniell, is to take a pound of salmon 

 spawn in September or October, boiling it about fifteen 

 minutes, then beating it in a mortar, till sufficiently 

 mixed with an ounce of salt and a quarter of an ounce 

 of saltpetre, the membrane in which the spawn is con- 

 tained being carefully picked out. It is then pre- 

 served closely covered up in jars or wide-mouthed glass 

 vessels, and will keep good for months. 



I have no doubt that the roe of herrings, or any 

 other fish, would answer a similar purpose, as the 

 external appearance, as well as the smell, which seems 

 the chief attraction, is not materially different. A 

 paste of the same kind is made with shrimps freed 

 from the shell. Hence, also, the shell-fish, such as 

 muscles, used in sea fishing, and the putrid meat used 

 for eels, obviously attract in consequence of their odour. 



Independently of these well ascertained facts re- 

 specting the smell of fishes, we learn from anatomy 

 that the nerves of smell are comparatively large, as is 

 shown in the figure below, a circumstance which 

 alone would indicate the power or acuteness of this 

 useful sense. 



