Seo. IC] DOMESTIC FISH-BREEDING. 273 



lation of the violin, but eoiikl any rapid manipulator once behold the 

 marvelous rajjidity with which some of the fisliernu-n divest the eels of their 

 slippery ciiidcrniis or integuments, tliuy would stand abashed, and, like the 

 sable individual in the song, 'Lay di)\vn the fiddle and the lioe' forever 

 afterward. We are at a loss to see how it is possible for any fish whatever 

 to descend to the mouth of the river, excepting it ho a few belated ones, 

 who delay their return until a rise in the river gives them security I'rom the 

 low-water traps. From Marietta to a point perhaps 100 miles up, exceptin»' 

 in a few places, these eel-gins are so numerous that they must entirelv eiii]>ty 

 the river of eels, the run continuing constantly until frost, and the fishing 

 being terminated only, as we liave already said, by the fall rains. When 

 these occur, the boxes are taken up. The walls which remain under the 

 water arc very seldom disturbed, and the next year, with very little repairs, 

 are just as good as ever. The eels are packed in full-sized barrels, and many 

 arc sent to Baltimore. Quantities are purchased by sea-going vessels, whose 

 skippers are aware of the delicious flavor of this rather anomalous article 

 of provision." 



The kind alluded to in this extract is the "silver eel," which is also taken 

 all along the sea-coast by hooks and spears, and sold in great abundance m 

 all the city markets, at as high a price per jiound as beef or mutton. 



Now will farmers please to think that eels can be artificially bred as well 

 as any other fish, and that there are a great many streams and ponds, j>ar- 

 ticularly in tlie "West, where there are no eels, which miglit be made to fur- 

 nish a vast amount of food, as m-cU for humo use as for sale. 



There is another kind of eels called lamprey, or lamper-eels, much esteemed 

 in some places. This kind have no gills, but have sucker mouths, ami 

 brealhing holes ujjou each side of the neck. These are found sometimes in 

 gri'at abundance in the streams of the Eastern States, in the spring of tho 

 year, and are easily caught by hand, by wading the shallows of the stream, 

 where they are found clinging by their mouths to the rocks or large pebble 

 stones. 



The silver eels are also caught by wading streams at night, with torches 

 and spears, during low water, after harvest. This used to be accounted 

 great sport for the boys, when we were counted one. Many a good meal 

 we furnished tlie family, also, by sitting an hour or two of a summer even- 

 ing by the side of the mill-i)ond, with a hook baited with a small fish. This 

 we mcnti(jn to encourage farmers to take steps toward re-stocking their 

 streams and ]ioiids, as well as making artificial ones. 



300. Ancient Fisli-Etrccdins:. — Lest our readers should suppose artificial 

 breeding of fish is a " new-fangled notion," we state that it has been jirae- 

 ticcd in China many centuries; and it is probably a century since the unit 

 ter attracted attention in Germany. 



lu that country fish-breeding has now become an extensive and jtrofitablo 

 business. In France, also, there are many establishiiu'iit.s in s-ome of which 

 it has been demonstrated that sahnon can bo successfully bred in frcf.h-watcr 



