Xll INTRODUCTION. 



is supposed. The poacher tickles the trout, 

 and the sleeping jack can only be haltered 

 by passing the wire over his body without its 

 touching him. 



The propagation of fish also offers subjects 

 of much admiration. The greater number are 

 oviparous, but they are careful to deposit 

 their ova in situations, where they are pro- 

 tected, as well as in such as afford food and 

 shelter for the young fry. As the members 

 of this class mostly prey upon each other, it 

 was necessary that their continuance should 

 be guarded by their numbers, and thus hun- 

 dreds of thousand eggs are deposited in the 

 annual spawnings of some fish. Fish are 

 not stationary : at one time they affect the 

 littoral, at another the pelagic waters : many 

 make extensive migrations, and the vast 

 journey ings of the herrings are not a fable, 

 but on the contrary, are instinctive move- 

 ments of the shoals, either in search of 

 food, or of convenient spawning grounds. 

 For this purpose the salmon tribe become at 

 one period of the year inhabitants of Rivers, 

 and at another of the Ocean. 



Of the importance of fish to mankind, 

 the anecdotical part of this volume affords 

 sufficient proof. From the earliest times the 



