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IV. Lagoon and Estuary Fisheries. — These fisheries, which 

 in all respects form a connecting link and occupy an interme- 

 diate position between saltwater and freshwater fisheries, have a 

 special importance in Italy on account of the number and exten 

 sion of salt and brackish-water lagoons near the mouths of rivers 

 or elsewhere; such are the extensive valli of Comacchio, Codi- 

 goro, and those further north joining on to the Venetian lagoons; 

 the large Sardinian stagni, as those of Cabras (Oristano) and 

 Cagliari; the stagni of Orbetello and Burano in Tuscany, that of 

 Lesina in Puglia, and others; and in a way the Mare piccolo of 

 Taranto. Fish, Crustacea, and mollusks are the product of these 

 fisheries, which also give occasion to a special kind of piscicul- 

 ture, of which anon; I need here only dwell especially on some 

 of the former as yielding the more valuable produce. Many 

 species of Crustacea are taken, and I may mention Carcinus 

 rnanas, one of the more abundant, used however chiefly as bait; 

 while Eriphia spinifrons, Cranyon vulgaris, and Squilla mantis, 

 are esteemed as food. The more remarkable mollusks belong to 

 the genera, Sepiola, Sepia, Cerithium, Gibbuta, Solan, Tapes, 

 Cardium, Mytilus, and Pecten. Not a few fishes generally con- 

 sidered marine enter the brackish water lagoons and live and 

 thrive there in company with other species usually classed amongst 

 freshwater creatures. I may mention the genera. Labrax, Mugil, 

 Atherina, Solea, Pleuronectes, Eaox, Leuciscus, Anguilla. In pu- 

 rely saltwater lagoons some of the finer sorts of game sea-fish 

 abundantly resort, as Mullus, Chrysophrys, Umbrina, Corvina, 

 Rhombus, and several species of Gobius, especially G. paganellus 

 and G. ophiocephalus. The special fisheries of greatest economic va 

 lue undertaken in Italian lagoons and estuaries are the following: — 

 1. Grey Mullet Fishery. The genus Mugil is richly represented 

 in our Ichthyofauna; the six species, M. cephalus, M. capito, 

 M. auratus, M. saliens, M. labeo, and M. chelo, are common, the 

 first four abundant, and live not only in the sea but frequent 

 brackish waters and enter rivers. In some of the valli, lagoons 

 and stagni, their capture is on a very large scale, and gives a 

 notable produce; a peculiar net, the mugginara, is usually em- 

 ployed. Prof. Targioni Tozzetti graphically describes one of these 

 fisheries, which he witnessed at Cabras in Sardinia: the proceedings 



