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evidently founded upon the former, and both, he thinks, 

 come in a very queilionable (hape ; however, the theory of 

 the latter is fiippofed more rational, and not entirely againtl 

 eftablilhed (a&s ; though it fhould be confidered, he con- 

 ceives, that the European herring is not a native of frefh 

 water, and, as he thinks, never will be naturalised in fuch 

 waters ; but that the fpawn of fifhes, being fecundated in 

 their own waters, may be tranfported •, and when placed 

 in the fame homogeneal element upon leaves, fand, or otlier 

 matters, where the fun and air, as we have feen above, can 

 have free accefs, or a proper heat, with oxygen air, as has 

 been Ihewn already, received, fuch ova, ravy, or eggs, will 

 be animated and become fry in the fame time they would 

 have done in their parent beds, cannot be doubted. This 

 is a praftice, it is faid, which is well known in China ; 

 the Miffionaries to which have noticed two or three things 

 about it which are Angular enough ; the firlt of which is, 

 that in the great river Yangtfe Kyang, not far from the 

 city Kyus-king-fu, in the province of Kyang-fi, a prodi- 

 gious number of barks meet every year to buy the fpawn 

 of fifhes. About May the people of the country dam up 

 the river for nine or ten leagues together, in feveral places, 

 with mats and hurdles, leaving only room enough for barks 

 to pafs, in order to Hop the fpawn, which they know how 

 to diftinguifh at firft fight, though the water is fcarcely 

 altered ; with this water mixed with the fpawn, they fill 

 feveral vefl'els to fell to the merchants, who, at this feafon, 

 arrive in great numbers to buy and tranfport it into divers 

 provinces, taking care to have it llirred up from time to 

 time : this water is fold by meafure to fuch as have fi(h- 

 ponds and pools belonging to their houfes. The manner 

 of propagating the gold-fifh from fpawn is likewife de- 

 ferving of attentive confideration. Du Halde's Defcrip. of 

 China. 



It is fuppofed by the writer of the paper, that herrings 

 which caft their fpawn in the winter months, without doubt 

 depofit it on our (hores ; but whether upon gravel, fand, 

 ftones, fuci, or other plants, is not well afcertained ; but 

 thus far we know, it is faid, that it cannot be in deep 

 water, unlefs we fuppofe it to have fuch a buoyancy as to 

 be within reach of the fun's genial influence, and, as has 

 been fince fhewn, that of the free aftion of the air. 



It is beheved, and the fame writer thinks with reafon, 

 that it is impregnated by the male after it is emitted by the 

 fpawner or fpawning-fifli. The raw fpawn, or eggs, of thefe 

 fifh, become animated, it is faid, in the month of April. It 

 is noticed, that the fucus palmatus, and indeed all the nume- 

 rous fpecies of fuci which grow upon our coails, it is 

 hardly to be doubted, harbour the fpawn of filhes ; but that 

 the opinion may readily be either confirmed or confuted by 

 the affiftance of a glafs of moderate magnifying power. 



It is fuggelled, likewife, that the caufe or reafon of the 

 herring's quitting the deep feas, is unqueftionably that of 

 its calling its fpawn in its native water, as the banks and 

 mouths of the rivers where it was produced. And the 

 fame is the cafe with the falmon, the (had, the pilchard, 

 and fome others ; all of which prefer their natal waters for 

 the purpofe of fpawning in ; and though the herring and 

 pilchard fometimes deviate from this courfe, the falmon 

 and (had Jo it very feldom, being more fober and Heady 

 in their attachment to their parent haunts. The heavieil 

 falmon are met with in the large rivers, and the largeft 

 herrings in the deep waters, each coaft and river pro- 

 ducing fi(h which are different in tafte, fize, and ap- 

 pearance, as is remarkably feen in the fhads and falmons 

 of different rivers, and the iierrings of different fituations. 

 The fry of the herring, as well as of the falmon, when 



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they have attained fufficient fize and ftrength, quit the 

 fhaUows and make for the deeps : when the (hoals of the 

 former enter the bays, and other fimilar places, the young 

 ones are noticed to take their final departure from them. 



The fecundity of different kinds of fiihes is very different ; . 

 but that of the herring and fome others is very great. See 

 Spawn, Fi/h. 



Spawning or Laying OyJ}er-Beds, the manner of pre- 

 paring, diftributing, and managing them, in the mouths of 

 the breeding-rivers in particular counties and dillrifts, as in 

 Eifex, and probably fome others. The exaft method of 

 performing the bufmefs has not been defcribed ; but they 

 are fpawned or laid fomewhat in the bed-manner. The 

 principal rivers in the county of Eliex, where this fort of 

 work, or that of breeding oylters, is carried on, according 

 to the Corretled Agricultural Report of that diftriS, are 

 thofe of the Crouch, the Blackwater, and the Coin ; but 

 the firlt is by far the mod certain in produce of any of 

 them. The beds, or layings, are made in the creeks, and 

 other fimilar places, on the fides or parts which adjoin the 

 mouths, openings, or beginnings of thefe rivers. It is 

 from thefe rivers that the oylter-layings, or beds, are ufually 

 Hocked ; though fome are conftantly fupplied from Portf- 

 mouth, or places in its neighbourhood, being brought in the 

 largeft fort of oyfter-veffels, not only into this county, but 

 Kent, where they are laid for the enfuing feafon. The 

 . Colchefter oyfter-beds are chiefly at Wivenhoe, being partly 

 fupplied by the Kentidioyller-fmacks. The beds, or layings, 

 in thefe different fituations, are likewife, in all probability, 

 fupplied or furnifhed with oyfters from feveral other places 

 on the fouthern coaft of this country, as well as the 

 northern one of France. 



The breeding-rivers in the county of Effex are faid to be 

 very uncertain as to the quantity of oyfters they produce ; 

 as in fome feafons they afford a great quantity, while at 

 other times they only produce what is called a good 

 fprinkling, and fometimes there is none at all. But they 

 feldom all produce or fail, it is obferved, in the fame feafon. 

 See Oyster and 0)'/?fr-FisKERY. 



The oyfter-fifheries, in different places, are of very great 

 importance to the country at large, as well as to particular 

 counties and dillritts, efpecially that of Edex ; as they 

 employ great numbers of fmall veffels, require the labour of 

 many men, and afford confiderable profit in the produce of 

 food which they fupply, as being principally an article of 

 luxury. In the county juft mentioned there are feveral of 

 thefe oyfter-fifheries. In the Blackwater river and neigh- 

 bouring parts, there is a confiderable fifhery of this nature ; 

 and Wett-Merfea is one of the principal ftations of the 

 dredgers : above thirty boats, it is faid, belong to the 

 ifland, and are almoft conftantly at work in this bufinefs. 

 Vedels come from Kent to purchafe the oyfters, and they 

 fell fome to Wivenhoe, where what are called the Col- 

 chefter beds are fituated. They are fold by the tub of 

 two bufhels, and are generally from 4J-. to Gs. a tub ; but 

 at prefent (1807) 6s. A dredging-boat is from fourteen 

 to thirty or forty tons burthen : all are decked and built 

 at Wivenhoe, Brightlingfea, and places thereabouts. The 

 price is 10/. a ton for the hull of the veffel only ; the fitting 

 out of one of twenty tons requiring the amount of 150/. 

 From two to four men are required for each veffel, who 

 are paid by (hares ; and the mafter has a (hare for the 

 veffel. In the fpring feafon they go to dredge on the 

 coafts of Hants and Dorfet. Sometimes one hundred and 

 thirty vedels have been counted at work within fight of 

 Mcrfea. This oyfter-fifhery is, it is faid, an objeft of con- 

 fiderable confequence to the country, from the earnings 

 9 being 



