114 FISH CULTTJRE. 



are in the best order when trout are spawning, they 

 are apt to destroy the spawn and to greatly reduce the 

 supply of that valuable fish. I am compelled to own 

 that I believe they do a good deal of mischief, and 

 there is often a strong, and not unfounded, prejudice 

 against them. They might possibly be made, in many 

 0^ our mixed rivers, to take the place of worse fish, 

 such as barbel, &c. They are, however, being some- 

 what widely spread about over the country, owing to 

 the popidar discussions which have taken place upon 

 them in various publications. In Scandinavia they 

 are said to abound, not only in the streams, but in 

 many of the lakes — a fact imknown in this country, 

 but very worthy of note. 



Much has been said of the burbot. In Switzerland 

 and in Scaadinavia, this fish is very highly esteemed, 

 and travellers who are among "the initiated" make 

 as great a point of having I6k for dinner as the 

 cockney does of whitebait at Blackwall. Having par- 

 taken of it, I can quite concur in any strong eulogy 

 on its merits. It is a very firm, white, and delicious 

 fish. The head somewhat resembles the fin of turbot, 

 and the liver is not equalled as a delicacy by any 

 other morsel of fish substance in existence. Had it 

 been known of old, the Roman emperor would cer- 

 tainly have added burbots' livers to the great dish of 



