48 Fisuiye iv AMERICAN WATERS. 
co 
knows how to distinguish them with the naked eye when un- 
practiced ones perceive nothing in the water. He therefore 
dips up the water with a mixture of impregnated ova, which 
many purchase in that condition, while he dips and fills vases 
for others who purchase the fishes when first hatched. Peo- 
ple are said to come from all parts of the empire for the 
purchase of both eggs and fish wherewith to stock the waters 
of their various districts. 
Great care is bestowed on the vivified eggs placed in the 
vases, and those having them in charge take turns in attend- 
ing to them, so that they are never neglected either night or 
day. At the end of some days, as the eggs disclose lite, the 
different species are removed into separate vases, and their 
prices fixed and published. Father Duhalde stated that the 
nett gain was often a hundred fold on the expense, and the 
sale always certain, because fishes constitute a large share of 
the food of the Chinese. 
Many travelers from time to time referred to this practice 
of the Chinese in propagating fishes, but their explanations 
were always more or less vague. Father Huc, the mission- 
ary, informed the French government that a great many mer- 
chants of vivified fish-eggs came to the province of Canton, 
and traversed the country for the sale of them to the propri- 
etors of ponds and other preserved waters. Their merchan- 
dise, being a sort of yellowish liquid, was contained in a cask, 
It appeared to be oily water, similar to the color of the vase 
(probably terra-cotta), in which it was impossible to distin- 
guish with the naked eye the least animalcula or living thing. 
For some safeqgues—small coin—they purchase a cup of that 
turbid water, which is sufficient to stock a pond of consider- 
able size. They pour the contents of the cup into the pond 
or lake, and in a few days the eggs hatch, and by having 
their preserves properly divided they keep up their stock of 
fish. For the young fishes of the herbivorous families, such 
as the carp, ete., they throw into the pond tender herbs for 
food, augmenting the quantity as the fish enlarge. Carnivor- 
