ARTIFICIAL FISH PONDS. 117 



midate him from taking his natural quantity of suste- 

 nance. 



We have thus briefly given our ideas concerning the 

 raising of fish in Scotland, repelling, as we allow, the 

 introduction of those which require a milder tempera- 

 ture and more lenient waters ; for it must be observed, 

 that the mere quality of the water is a great matter, 

 and that a Thames ditch, though it will raise carp, will 

 not breed trout ; so, in like manner, a Scottish enclo- 

 sure where trout thrive well, will prove any thing but 

 friendly towards the carp, tench, bream, and barbel. 



Before concluding this chapter, we are led to notice 

 the very singular and successful experiments lately 

 made, in order to introduce sea fish into artificial salt- 

 water estuaries. These, it seems, are hollowed out to 

 a considerable depth, and kept subject in a degree to 

 the influence and changes of the tide ; although, at its 

 lowest ebb, they still retain a large inland body of wa- 

 ter. In fact, their only connection with the sea is by 

 a gulf or strait, which, with the tides themselves, is 

 formed alternately into an influx and reflux current. 

 Upon this gulf is placed a wire grating to prevent the 

 escape of such fish as the estuaries are stored with. 

 The cod, haddock, ling, whiting, flounder, and even 

 salmon, along with many other sorts of salt-water 

 tribes, are thus maintained and kept within reach, at 

 all seasons and in all weathers. 



A very remarkable pond of this kind has existed for 

 some years back at Portnessock, in Wigtonshire, on 

 the south-west coast of Scotland, in which not only 

 have fish been provided for, but actually domesticated ; 

 so much so, indeed, as to recognise their keeper, and 

 even take their food out of his hand. 



Also, at Valleyfield, on the Firth of Forth, near 

 Culross, there is a salt-water preserve of this sort, be- 



