THE NEW ART OF BREEDING FISH. 73 



the lakes Velinus, Sabatinus, Vulsinensis and Cim- 

 nius, in Etruria, were stocked with barbie, goldfish, 

 muges, and all species that could be adapted to this 

 caprice.* The rural descendants of Eomulus and 

 Numa practised this mode of breeding as a measure 

 of public utility, which gave them, in their rustic 

 life, an abundance which they carefully guarded. 

 But towards the commencement of the seventh 

 century, when luxurj' and vanity took the place of 

 the simple manners of this ancient race, fresh water 

 fisheries for the people began to be despised, and in 

 their stead were sea fisheries for the rich. 



The transportation of eggs to great distances is, 

 then, a fact, of which experience amply proves the 

 possibility. The only question then is, how to trans- 

 port them without waste, and in the most economical 

 manner. 



The two fishermen of Bresse, Gehin and Eemy, 

 put the eggs in a tin box, pierced with holes, like 

 those they use for hatching. They cover the bottom 

 with a bed of wet sand, half an inch or more deep, 

 upon which they spread a layer of pebbles of the size 

 of playing marbles. In the interstices of the peb- 

 bles they place a certain quantity of fecundated eggs, 

 and cover the first with a second layer of pebbles ; the 

 interstices of the second layer are then filled with 

 eggs, and then of another and another layer, till the 

 box is filled. 



* Colamelle, De re rusijeff, b. vii, t. 16, 

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