32 FISH-PQNDS. 



required a rigorous observance of church fasts, a fish-pond near 

 every cathedral city, and in the precincts of every monastery, 

 was a sine qua non. The varieties of fish bred in these ponds- 

 were necessarily very limited, being usually carp, some of which, 

 however, grew very large. As has been already stated, there 

 are traces of some of our curious and valuable fishes having 

 been introduced into this country during those old monastic 

 times. As already shown, most fish-ponds of these remote 

 times were quite primitive in their construction — ^very similar, 

 in fact, to the beautiful trout-pond at Wolfsbrunnen, near 

 Heidelberg. There were no doubt ponds of large extent and 

 of elaborate construction, but these were comparatively rare; 

 and even on the sea-coast we used to have ponds or storing- 

 places for sea fish. One of these is stiU in existence : I allude 

 to Logan Pond in Galloway, for keeping fish so as to have 

 them attainable for table uses without reference to the state of 

 the weather, it is the property of General M'Douall of Port 

 Logan House. This particular pond is not an artificially-con- 

 structed one, but has been improved out of the natural sur- 

 rounding of the place. It is a basin, formed in the solid rock, 

 ten yards La depth, and having a circumference of one hundred 

 and sixty feet, a wall of loose stones admits the waters of the 

 sea through a chasm of rock, and prevents the egress of the 

 fish. The fish which it contains are taken in the neighbouring 

 bay when the weather is fine, and transferred to the pond, 

 which communicates with the sea by a narrow passage. It is 

 generally well stocked with cod, haddock, and flat fish, which 

 in the course of time become very tame ; and I regret to say, 

 from want of proper shelter, most of the animals become blind. 

 The fish have of course to be fed, and they partake greedily, 

 from the hand of the woman who feeds them, of the mass 

 of boiled mussels, limpets, whelks, etc., with which they are 

 regaled, and their flavour is really unexceptionable. 



Coming back, however, to the subject of fresh-water fish- 

 ponds, it may be stated that these have been long given up, 

 except as, adjuncts to the amenities of gentlemen's pleasure- 

 grounds. Ornamental canals and fish-ponds are not at all 

 uncommon in the parks of our countiy gentlemen, although they 

 are not required for fish-breeding purposes, because the fast 

 London or provincial trains carry baskets of fish a distance of 

 one hundred miles in a very few hours, so that a turbot or a 

 dish of whiting may be in excellent condition for a, late dinner. 



