CHAP. xxv. Miscellaneous. 349 



this cheap and ready plan. Bore in the bottom of the boat a hole or 

 two of a size that you can easily plug with a cork at other times : and 

 fore and aft of this leak run up your mud walls, making your well just 

 as large or as small as -you like. 



But if you wane to keep bait alive at your house for any time, and 

 have not a running stream, you must oxygenate the water by growing 

 water-lilies in it ; by having a fountain playing in it, which is very easily 

 arranged ; by blowing into it with a bellows from time to time ; or 

 even by taking up some of the water in a tumbler, and pouring it in 

 again from a height. 



If you turn a fish belly upwards, he loses his power in the water. 

 It is like putting salt on a bird's tail, but natives can do it. 



Has it never surprised the angler that he seldom catches a fish with 

 a single scale wanting in its whole coat, though those scales come off 

 all too readily in his hands. It is because scales are renewed like 

 feathers ; and it is believed that a salmon exfoliates its whole coat of 

 scales every year, in the same way as a bird moults, and that this is the 

 reason why a foul salmon looks so dull and dirty with its skin minus 

 scales ; while a clean run salmon is resplendent with a brand new set of 

 silvery scales. 



Fish have a marked line, somewhat like a pencil mark, on each side. 

 This is called the lateral line, and its position and course is very 

 carefully noted by naturalists. It is formed by minute perforations in 

 each scale ; and it is supposed by some that its use is to allow of the 

 exuding of the slime, or mucous matter, with which a fish's scales are 

 covered ; by others for allowing the escape of a fluid which lubricates 

 the skin beneath ; by others to be organs of sense, connected with nerves, 

 and sensitive of forms of vibration, and hearing depends on vibrations. 



It is not commonly known that sea-fish can be acclimatized to fresh 

 water, but it has been done again and again. The salmon is an 

 instance of a sea-fish taking kindly to fresh water of its own accord. 

 The Sable or Hilsa (Clupea ilisaJi) is another, and instances might be 

 multiplied. But besides those fish that by nature resort at times to 

 fresh water, those also that never go of their own accord into fresh 

 water, have been acclimatized to it. 



Fish, like the tench, which are bred in muddy water are improved 

 for the table by being kept a few days in stone troughs, in bright 

 spring water. 



