TWO GREAT CLASSES. 13 



These few observations I premise in this place, because I 

 foresee, distinctly, that my remarks will be animadverted upon, 

 more or less severely, by the inhabitants of those districts in 

 which the varieties of fish, which I regard as almost worthless, 

 prevail; the same thing having occurred with regard to my 

 work on Field Sports, concerning which gentlemen have waxed 

 unwisely indignant as regards this or that bird, or this or that 

 way of cooking it, when they have plainly lacked the means of 

 drawing the requisite comparison. 



But to proceed, the Game Fish of this country may be 

 divided, first, into two general classes, of fresh and salt-water 

 fishes; and these may be again subdivided, each, into other 

 two, the fresh, as migratory and non-migratory; the salt, as 

 into deep-sea, and shoal-water; although, perhaps, to speak 

 with perfect precision on the subject, no deep-sea fish should be 

 called a Game Fish. Very many persons, are, however, greatly 

 addicted to the sport of making excursions from our large cities 

 to the various sea-banks, for the purpose, it is true, of enjoying 

 the sea breeze, and the excitement of the sail, combined with 

 the attractions of the chowder or the clam-bake, the champagne 

 and the cotillion, which are wont to complete the day's amuse- 

 ment, but still with the object of fishing likewise; and these 

 persons, even if their sport be not of the loftiest or most sport- 

 ing character, will reasonably expect to find some account of a 

 favourite pursuit. 



Nor, in very truth — though I eschew large congregations of 

 humanity for sporting purposes, deeming them rather social and 

 convivial in their true character, and holding sociality and con- 

 viviality, though excellent things in their way, as utterly averse 



