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lorum appear. Up to the present time much has been written on 

 Vallicoltura in the Venetian provinces, but especially the recent 

 concise publications on the subject by Dr. Renier and of Count 

 Ninni. The latter, who knows more about the matter than most 

 men, exhibited a most complete and interesting collection of mo- 

 dels of boats, nets, implements, &c; used ìd the Venetian lagoon- 

 fisheries, at the Milan Exhibition of 1881. VallicuUura is practi 

 sed in much the same manner in the valli of Cornacchie), Codi- 

 goro, Chioggia, Venice and Caorle. It consists in divdiug and 

 partitioning the outer and inner lagoons, using natural formations 

 and artificial structures, such as embankments, palisades, &c; 

 the adult fish who resort to lagoons for spawning purposes, and 

 more especially the young fry who enter from the sea in searck 

 of food, are thus protected, divided, and at the right time captu- 

 red. The system of division and subdivision in the valli, espe- 

 cially in the inland ones, is very complicated, and as this indu- 

 stry is most important and of quite a peculiar nature, 1 am sorry 

 for want of space to be prevented from giving further details. 

 The valli are classed into- valli arginata, valli arginate in parte, 

 viz., partially closed by reed-palisades (grisiole), and valli chiuse, 

 or completely closed by grisiole ; locks or chiaviche regulate the 

 communications and the water supply. The natural entry of 

 fish-fry from the sea into the lagoons goes by the name of 

 montata, and the more important montate take place from Fe- 

 bruary to May (Mugil capito, M. auratus, M. chela, Labrax lupus, 

 Ohrysophrys aurata and Anguilla vulgaris), and in August and 

 September (Mugil cephalus, M. saliens, Mvllus). A peculiar 

 feature in this industry is the so-called « Semina del pesce no- 

 vello » , literally « sowing of young fish ». It consists in captu- 

 ring in fine nets along the coas; or in the external lagoons the 

 young fry of the species above mentioned, and in carryng it 

 to the inner waters or closed valli, that it may grow and hv. 

 fished at the proper time. The utility and expediency of such 

 proceedings has been for the last two centuries an object 

 of discussion amongst the Vallic ultori, some of whom up to 

 the present day opine that the natural montata and its facilita- 

 tion is the true system of valliculture. To give an idea of the 

 value of the present lagoon-fishery and pisciculture, we may add 



