FISHES, 



361 



The lawfirey abounds in the rivers of New^Eng- 

 land. After the spawning season has passed, the 

 old fish attach themselves to the roots and lirabs of 

 trees, which have fallen or have run into the water^ 

 and there perish by a mortification, which begins at 

 the tail, and proceeds upwards.* 



Green turtle are found in our v/estern waters 

 many hundred miles from the sea, cat fish from 30 

 to 100 lbs» in weight; and perch from 8 to 12 lbs» 



The late Mr. James Boyd of Lancaster, has left 

 on record, that he saw the head of a cat fish, which 

 had been caught in the Ohio, weigh 40 lbs : the whole 

 fish was said to have weighed 115 lbs. It wa^ eleven 

 inches between the eyes ; the mouth was fifteea 

 inches wide. 



Fike too, of a great size, abound in the western 

 waters. The ravenous nature of this fish is well 

 known, but the following fact, related by Mr. Ellicott, 

 shews that he is not only endowed with a good ap- 

 petite, but very strong digestive powers. 



*^ In the month of September, 1794, a pike of 

 about twenty pounds in weight, was taken in the 

 Small Lake near Le Bceuf. It was brougiit into the 

 fort and opened ; and, to our surprise, the stomach 

 contained all the bones of a squirrel's head, retaining 

 their positions with respect to each other, but re- 

 duced to the state of a very soft cartilage. Evea 

 the teeth, so remarkable for hardness in this animal, 

 were in the same state. They had lost their brown 

 colour, and were perfectly white."! 



* Belknap's Hist. New Hampshire^ vol. 3d, 

 t Med, and Phys. Journal. 



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