280 AMERICAN TISH OTJLTURB. 



same as those mentioned a few weeks since by your corres- 

 pondent ^' A Wandering Naturalist," who speaks of a fish 

 which he calls " the silvery salmon trout" of the Schoodic 

 Lakes and the St. Croix. 



As regards the introduction of American fish, there are 

 undoubtedly many which would be of great value to us ; 

 and, if we had any piscatorial society in this country, 

 immense benefits might be conferred upon our rivers and 

 lakes by means of it. One or two attempts have been made 

 to introduce American fish, but they have failed, for the 

 want of the commonest care. Here is an account, from 

 another correspondent of mine in the States, of the failure 

 of an attempt to bring over the bass : 



" met with a misfortune before he left here. He got a letter 



of introduction to a person in , who had black bass for sale, 



and he employed mechanics, who constructed k water tank* for 

 transporting his fish in, and started after the bass. The gentleman 

 who owns the bass ponds entertained him hospitably, made his men 



draw a pond for bass, and presented the bass to , who started 



with them for this city. After three hours' travel by rail the fish 

 appeared sound and healthy ; and, being then on board a steamer 

 which would reach here the next morning, he did not think it neces- 

 sary to change the water, add more, or vivify it by an air pump. 

 The result was, that when he arrived here the next morning his fish 

 were all dead, and his water tank, which cost forty dollars, a dead 

 loss. My chagrin or regret hardly prevented me from character- 

 izing the affair as it deserved. But, 's faux pas notwithstand- 

 ing, I can send back bass to England." 



Comment upon such a wretched failure is scarcely neces- 

 sary. The worst of these failures is, that they deter others 

 from attempting again a thing which, after all, with the 



* Fish with sharp spines should have twice as much room in 

 transporting them as soft finned fish, as they are apt to wound 

 each other if too closely confined. — T. N. 



