5vU LETTER LVII. 



Mr. Pennant was assured by Dr. Borlase, that cm 

 the th of October, 17-7, there was atone time en- 

 closed, and caught in St. Anne's Bay, seven thou- 

 sand hogsheads of pilchards, each hogshead contain- 

 ing thirty -tire thousand fishes. This circumstance is 

 we! 1 worth notice: it tends to shew the vast import- 

 ance of those animals of the deep in the system of 

 economy and commerce, to develope the vast and 

 complicated plan of the Author of Nature, and to dis- 

 play his infinite wisdom and diffusive goodness, in 

 causing both land and sea to contribute to the support 

 of animal existence, and'the comforts of human life. 



As 1 haye now been entertaining you with an im- 

 portant view of matters of extensive utility, I will, 

 my dear Sir, conclude this article with an exhibition 

 of an interesting object of curiosity. In the various 

 departments of Nature, we see usefulness and beauty 

 blended with endless diversity, and forming innumer- 

 able combinatioris. 



THE GOLDEN FISH 



is a native of China, but is now completely naturalia- 

 ed in Erigkncl, where it thrives and breeds as well as 

 if it were indigenous. These beautiful fishes were 

 little known in this island previous to A. I). 1788, 

 when a number of them were imported and circulat- 

 ed in the vicinity of London, from whence they 'have 

 been disseminated into every part of the kingdom. 



The fiold fish grows to the length of eight inches, 

 and in its form greatly resembles the carp. The co- 

 lours vary considerably in the individuals of this spe- 

 cies. Some are marked wilh fine blue, brown, or sil- 

 ver; but a resplendent gold colour is generally pre- 

 dominant; and their motions are as lively as their 

 tints are beautiful. In China they are every where 

 kept in porcelain vessels, for the amusement of the 

 opulent, and as ornaments to thefr palaces and gar- 

 den 1 ?. It is said that they will live several months in 

 a vessel without food, provided that the water be fre- 

 quently changed; but it would be cruel to make the 

 experiment. .Every kind of suffering unnecessarily 



