52 FISHES. -v^ 



water. Indeed 1 believe that the great western 

 lakes of America, contain a large quantity of salt 

 water in particular places, which may be sufficient 

 for the support of marine animals. One of the 

 old French writers in Canada says, that a seal 

 was at one time seen near Montreal. The harbor 

 of New-York abounded w ith this animal in an- 

 cient times. Robin's reef was at one period their 

 place of rendezvous, and derives its appellation 

 from file Dutch word for it. 



The conveyance of fish from one region to 

 another, is not a new idea. The carp was trans- 

 ported to England from Spain. According to 

 Bioche, the sterlet, or accipenser ruthenus was 

 transported from the Volga into the lake Mselar^ 

 hy Frederick I. as was theloche, cobitisbarbatula, 

 out of Germany, by the same monarch. Several 

 little lakes, called by the Americans, ponds, have 

 been stocked with a fine species of esox, called 

 pickerel. How easy would it be to bring the 

 European carp into this country. The gold fish, 

 a beautiful little carp from China, adorns the par- 

 lours of many American ladies. The most remote 

 and sequestered pieces of water without outlets or 

 inlets abound with finny inhabitants. How did 

 they come there ? is a natural question, upon 

 which I have often pondered. 



