19^ COMMON CARP. 



salutary to the fish. Epicures sometimes feed 

 carp, during the colder season, in a cellar. The 

 following method is the best that can be devised 

 for that purpose. A carp is laid on a great quan- 

 tity bf fresh wet moss, spread on a piece of net, 

 which is then gathered into a purse, and the moss so 

 contrived, that the whole fish be entirely wrapped 

 tip in it : care however must be taken to give the 

 fish ease, and not to squeeze it, so that it may have 

 room to breathe in this confined attitude. The 

 net, with the fish and moss, is then plunged into 

 water, and hung up to the ceiling of the cellar. In 

 the beginning this operation must be very fre- 

 quently repealed, at least every three or four hours : v 

 by length of time the fish will be more used to the 

 new element, and will bear to be out of water for 

 six or seven hours. Its food is bread soaked in milk, 

 which in the beginning must be administered in 

 small quantities : in a short time the fish will bear 

 more, and will grow fatter. I saw the experiment 

 tried in a nobleman's house in the principality of 

 Anhalt-Dessau ; and during a fortnight I visited 

 myself, every day, the fish, which after it had been 

 kept in this manner during a fortnight, was dressed 

 and served up at dinner, when every one present 

 found it excellent in its flavour." 



