FISHES. 



361 



«iitten a treatise upon fishing, seems to determine the question 

 relative to the viviparous production of eels, upon the authority 

 of one or two credible witnesses. An eel, opened in the pre- 

 sence of several persons of credit, was found to have an infinite 

 number of little creatures, closely wrapped up together in a lump, 

 about the size of a nutmeg, which being put into a basin of 

 water, soon separated, and swam about : yet still, whether these 

 may not have been worms generated in the animal's body, re- 

 mains a doubt ; for there are scarcely any fishes that are not in- 

 fested with worms in that manner. ' 



With respect to the growth of fishes, it is observed, that among 

 carps, particularly the first year, they grow to about the size ot 

 the leaf of a willow-tree ; at two years, they are about four 

 inches long. They grow but one inch more the third season, 

 which is five inches. Those of four years old are about six 

 inches ; and seven after the fifth. From that to eight years old 

 they are found to be large in proportion to the goodness of the 

 pond, from eight to twelve inches. With regard to sea-fish, the 

 fishermen assure us, that a fish must be six years old before it is 

 fit to be served up to table. They instance it in the growth of 

 a mackarel. They assure us that those of a year old are as large 

 as one's finger ; that those of two years, are about twice that 

 length ; at three and four years, they are that small kind of 

 mackarel that have neither milts nor roes ; and between five and 

 six, they are those full-grown fish that are served up to our 

 tables. In the same manner, with regard to flat fishes, they tell 

 us, that the turbot and barbel at one year are about the size of a 

 crown-piece ; the second year, as large as the palm of one's hand ; 

 and at the fifth and sixth year, they are large enough to be served 

 up to table. Thus it appears, that fish are a considerable time 

 in coming to their full growth, and that they are a long time de- 

 stroyed before it comes to their turn to be destroyers. * 



All fish live upon each other in some state of their existence. 

 Those with the largest mouths attack and devour the larger 



1 The Eol, it is known, is viviparous. It produrps its numerous young 

 (luring the di-i line of summer : these are very small at their first excIusiiMi 

 I liis fish often wanders aliuut uu'adows in search of snails and other food ; 

 and, aeeordiiiff to I)r Aniierson, yonnp eels will often migrate across tli« 

 land, in ifreat shoals, from one part of a river to another. 



2 'Jridto des IVdies, par Jloii.iieur Uuliamel. Sect. 3. p. 100. 



