168 FISH HATCHING. 



the specimens and letter from ' Peter of the 

 Pools ' to the scientific meeting of the Zoolo- 

 gical Society. J. Gould, Esq., P.R.S., and 

 Dr. Gunther, of the British Museum, were 

 much pleased with the facts narrated, and, 

 after a considerable discussion, gave, it as 

 their opinion that, provided always the evi- 

 dence of their being of the same age is well 

 proved, this was simply a case of cause and 

 effect — the bigger fish being the stronger and 

 most healthy of the lot. I myself quite agree 

 with this : a number of fish are turned out 

 simultaneously into a pond ; some are weak, 

 some are strong ; the stronger, of course, 

 gain the mastery over their brethren, and 

 gain all the advantages of the pond, whatever 

 those advantages may happen to be ; the 

 consequence is, that, in proportion to their 



