157 



cation with any other water, I have seen fine Jacfo and 

 perch taken. They were not suspected to exist in such 

 situations ; the surfaces being grown over with brush* 

 wood, and weeds, in such manner as to conceal the water 

 entirely, I recollect reading a well authenticated in- 

 stance of a perch having been found among some large 

 stumps, in such a puddle; its body was indented on 

 every side by the pieces of wood j among which it must 

 have been long completely stationary, since it obviously- 

 had grown considerably in that situation. 



The question is, how it subsisted so as not only to exist, 

 but to thrive I We cannot but conclude, that all waters,. 

 especially when stagnant, contain or generate a consider- 

 able quantity of nourishment, whether vegetable or ani- 

 mal, on which fishes subsist when no other aliment 

 offers. 



Fishes are extremely hardy, so far as relates to bites-, 

 bruises, &c. It is by no means uncommon to find them 

 with large scars, which can easily be distinguished 

 among their scales, and sometimes w r ith broken backs. 

 I have caught one wanting a gill-cover, and have seen a 

 few from which a pectoral fin had been taken. 



Some kinds of fishes may be considered as amphibious ; 

 thus the carp, the eel, the jack, and the tench, will all 

 bear removal to many miles distance, if properly treated. 



There are males and females in every kind of fish 5 but 

 the latter are by far the most numerous ; they are ordinarily 

 known by having roes in the spawning season ; whereas 

 the males contain only a card-like substance, called the 

 milt, or melt. Almost all kinds of fishes are in season 

 when about to spawn. 



The eel never contains any roe, which gave rise to 



many 



