FISHERIES 



285 



Greeks, and Romans, of antiquity. The young of various species 

 were made to enter lagoons, prevented from again escaping, and 

 kept till large enough for the table. Culture in freshwater ponds 

 has been an important Chinese industry from time immemorial, and 

 was well understood in England during the Middle Ages, especially 

 by the monks, who did not care to rely on chance for the periodic 

 fish repasts prescribed by the Church. Remains of old "fish- 

 stews", in which carp, eels, &c., were reared, abound in this country. 

 A very interesting outcome of the fish -culture of the old 

 Romans still exists in the lagoon of Comacchio, at the mouth of 



Fig. 1207. — A Division of Comacchio 



A, Canal Palotta. B, Entrance from canal, c, Canal for boats, c', Sluices. D, First compartment 

 of labyrinth, e, Outer basin. F, Antechamber of first compartment. G, Chamber of ditto. H, Second 

 compartment, i. Chamber of ditto. K, Third compartment. L, L, L, Chambers of ditto, m, Wicker- 

 work baskets for keeping fish alive. N, Boat and tackle, o, Dwelling-house. P, Storehouse. 



the Po, where eels are grown on a large scale, and distributed 

 throughout Italy both fresh and in a preserved condition. The 

 definite records of the industry date from 1229, and so long ago as 

 the end of the sixteenth century the annual revenue derived from 

 the culture amounted to ^16,000 annually, a sum which, of course, 

 represented much more at that time than it does now. The eels 

 sold in 1903 fetched over ^28,000. The whole lagoon, which is 

 bounded at the sides by the Reno and Volano mouth of the Po, 

 is a perfect labyrinth of ponds and canals, of which a faint idea 

 may be gained by examining fig. 1207. The conduct of this 

 industry is a very elaborate matter. The ascending swarms of 

 elvers have to be guided to their destination, the supply of fish- 

 food maintained, full-grown eels captured (from August to 

 December), and the catch prepared for the market. 



