146 SEA FISHERIES 



mullet fry, he found that they acquired a length of 

 1 1 '8 inches in three years, and in five years a length 

 of 197 inches. If we suppose a loss of two-thirds in 

 three years, the 700 would be reduced to 233, worth, 

 at i fr. 50 each, the sum of ^14 for 30 square metres, 

 or about 1,848 per acre. The bar gave about the same 

 result. Unhappily M. Vidal did not continue his under- 

 taking. In France it was forgotten ; but an Englishman, 

 Mr. Mathew Dunn, reproduced the system with success 

 at Megavissey. M. Gobin has proposed an interesting 

 method of increasing the value of the seaside lakes of 

 Languedoc, which are so rich in salt-marshes. It would 

 consist in combining the preparation of salt with the 

 rearing of fish. In Languedoc the salt water has to be 

 pumped up in order to pour it upon the evaporating 

 pans. It would be easy to divert a certain quantity of 

 this water towards a basin where it would be mingled 

 with fresh water, drained from the neighbouring rivers, 

 in the proportions most favourable to young fish and fry. 

 Another scheme ! 



I hope I have shown, in the course of this chapter, 

 what delicate transitions there are between reservations, 

 transplantations in the open sea, transplantations in 

 locked waters, the dams of the lagoons and seaside 

 lakes, and fishponds. Here, in a continuous series, are 

 five terms of increasing complexity, for the possibility of 

 the last is ruled by the effective existence of the first. 

 Yet fishponds are of very ancient origin, while reserva- 

 tions date almost from yesterday. The simple is often 

 born of the complex. I remember that as a child I gave 

 myself a great deal of trouble in trying to make sea-water 

 to keep crabs and star-fish alive in the house. It was 



