278 AMERICAN FISH CULTURE. 



decomposition has taken place, devouring every particle of 

 flesh, cartilages, and the softer bones. The flesh and bones 

 entire of the woodchuck are consumed often at a single 

 meal. While the expense of keeping is thus trivial, the 

 profitable yield of the animal is immense, it being consi- 

 dered a moderate estimate to claim that one mink with her 

 increase will equal the avails of a cow. Should this calcu- 

 lation hold good when the propagation of the mink is 

 carried to a large scale, the business will become one of the 

 most profitable in the world. 



" So Far, the experience of these gentlemen with the 

 undomesticated mink has not been satisfactory, as their 

 shyness cannot be overcome, and they have never obtained 

 any increase from the animals in their wild state. They 

 had to be taken when young and domesticated. 



" Casadaga, the scene of this novel experiment, is a 

 pretty village very pleasantly situated upon the shore of 

 Casadaga Lake, which is three miles long, abounding with 

 fish, and its waters supplied entirely by springs. It is the 

 very dividing ridge of waters between the great courses of 

 the north and south. The town will be reached one year 

 hence, probably, by the Dunkirk, Warren, and Pittsburgh 

 Railroad, now distant ten miles from Dunkirk. It has a 

 population of a few hundred, does some manufacturing, 

 has two dry-goods stores, two groceries, and good fishing, as 

 many a Buffalonian can attest." 



X. 



AMERICAN FISH FOR ENGLISH WATERS. 



In a chapter on the naturalization of fishes, I have alluded 

 to a suggestion which I made to Mr. Francis, concerninfj 

 the advantages of acclimating the smaller species of catfish 



