42 Fisumne rv AMERICAN WATERS. 
roe of some of these fishes is so great as to appear almost in- 
credible. While the carp and the sturgeon produce from 
half a million to a million and a half, the celebrated Dutch 
naturalist Leuwenhoeck reckoned that the codfish contains 
over nine millions of eggs. This estimate was based upon 
weighing accurately a small part of the roe and counting the 
eggs, then weighing the remainder, and estimating the whole 
from the part counted. Without doubt the fecundity of all 
the food-fishes of the sea is beyond human estimate; so that, 
if all the spawn should be fructified by the male fishes, the 
vast body of fishes would, within a few years, become too 
eat for the waters to contain. 
SECTION SECOND. 
VORACITY OF FISHES. 
The innumerable shoals of young fishes constitute the chief 
part of the food for larger ones, and even those full grown 
often meet in fierce combat, when the one which has the 
widest throat comes off victorious by swallowing his oppo- 
nent. Fish, being cold-blooded animals, are not susceptible 
to an acute sense-of pain; thus it does not hurt an eel much 
to be skinned, and a shark has been observed to seek prey for 
some time after he was split open and entirely eviscerated. 
The prettiest and most playful of fishes, almost domesticated 
in private ponds, do not fail occasionally to devour such 
members of their own family as venture near enough. Sir 
William Jardine states that “the lake trout are very rapa- 
cious, and, after attaining the weight of three or four pounds, 
feed almost aia) on small fish, not sparing even their 
own young.” 
This being true of the finny tribes generally, how malapro- 
pos is the sympathy extended for them by good souls who 
do not understand the savage character of the objects of their 
solicitude. Such was the poet Dr. Walcott, author of the fol- 
lowing verses : 
