154 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 



dried up in a day or two, and the fish died. The next year new ones appeared entirely 

 like the preceding. The ponds here had no communication with the Niger, which is 

 about three hundred fathoms off. How did these fishes get there? They were not 

 brought by aquatic birds, because this species of fish is unknown to that river. Have 

 they sprung from the ova of the preceding year; but how did they get there first ? Are 

 they drawn from distant waters by the power of evaporation, and conveyed to those 

 ponds? If the facts are truly stated, this is an unaccountable phenomenon. 



An occurrence of a somewhat similar nature took place on this island some few years 

 ago. Shortly after the first establishment of the Elgin Botanic Garden it became necessary 

 to obtain a permanent and plentiful supply of water, for the various purposes of that institu- 

 tion, as well as to afford a place of growth for aquatic plants. To this end the proprietor, 

 Dr. Hosack, in a season of uncommon drought, had an artificial pond, of considerable 

 extent, made on a portion of the ground that had hitherto been a mere morass. Upon 

 excavating this morass, to the depth of from six to ten feet, a number of springs were 

 opened, which afforded the necessary supply of soft fresh water. To the astonishment 

 of all, at the ensuing summer, a considerable number of small fish appeared ; and since 

 that time this artificial pond, about a mile and a half distant from any waters, has 

 abounded in fish of considerable size: some of them being five, six, and even seven 

 inches in length. 



In Lowthorp's Philosophical Transactions, (vol. 2.) it is stated, that a pasture field in 

 Kent, containing two acres, and far from fishponds, or the sea, but a scarcity of water, 

 was all overspread with little fishes, conceived to be rained down, there having been, at 

 that time, a great tempest of thunder and rain. The fishes were about the length of a 

 man's little finger ; were supposed to be young whitings, and were about a bushel in 

 quantity. 



Fishes may be propagated and brought from a distance in different ways. The gold 

 fish of China has been imported alive in water from Europe to this country. Tench and 

 carp have been introduced into England in a similar way. Our lakes and rivers may be 

 stocked with proper fish, by bringing spawn in jars in imitation of the Chinese, who often 

 fetch the spawn of particular fishes from a great distance. Carps weigh from twenty to 

 forty pounds, and live from one hundred and fifty to two hundred years ; their fecundity is 

 amazing; six hundred thousand eggs have been found in one carp. They may be carried 

 ninety miles alive, packed in snow ; and they are often fattened out of water, by being 

 wrapped up in wet moss. Such a fish would be a great addition to our lakes. Success 

 Pond, in the town of North Hempstead, was stocked, by Dr. Mitchill, with perch, which 

 he conveyed alive from a pond forty miles off. 



