118 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



The spawn collected by the Chinese. 



places at least, and which are constantly supplied 

 with fresh water." 



"Ata certain time of the year," says Grosier,in 

 his description of China, "a prodigious number 

 of barks may be seen in the great river Yang-tse- 

 hiang, which go thither to purchase the spawn 

 of these fish. Towards the month of May, the 

 neighbouring inhabitants shut up the river in se- 

 veral places with mats and hurdles, which occupy 

 an extent of almost nine or ten leagues, and they 

 leave only a space in the middle, sufficient for the 

 passage of barks. 



"The spawn of the fish, which the Chinese can 

 distinguish at first sight, although a stranger could 

 perceive no traces of it in the water, is stopped 

 by these hurdles ; the water mixed with spawn 

 is then drawn up, and after it has been put into 

 large vessels, it is sold to merchants, who trans- 

 port it afterwards to every part of the empire. 

 This water is sold by measure, and purchased by 

 those who are desirous of stocking their ponds 

 and reservoirs with fish. 



" The fry, when first produced, are perfectly 

 black, but they afterwards change to white, and 

 then to gold colour. The latter colours appear 

 first about the tail, and extend upwards. The 

 smallest fish are preferred for vases, not only 

 from their being more beautiful than the larger 

 ones, but because a greater number of them caa 

 te kept. In order to display their movement* 



