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discrimination of nearly-allied species even among the most 
observant writers, in ancient times; and we have reason to 
believe also, that in some of the stranger tales handed down 
to ns, the larger, and to us more familiar fish, was truly that 
to which the narrative refers. 
Besides the enormous cost that was unavoidable in the form- 
ation of some of the fishponds into which salt water was 
admitted, the expense was scarcely less for preserving those 
which survived the capture in that healthy condition in which 
it was necessary they should appear if carried to the market; 
for it caused their owner to he subject to sharp criticism if 
any marks of neglect or under feeding could be noticed in 
them. We are informed that in his private ponds Hortensius 
was accustomed to employ a large mmiber of men in attendmg 
to the wants of his Mullets by supplying them with small 
fishes; and they were supplied with salt fish when boisterous 
weather proved a hindrance to his obtaining food from the 
sea. Lucullus is sufficiently known for the great expense he 
was at in forming his ponds, and especially for the enormous 
cost of digging tlu’ough a hill, to obtain a passage into them 
for the water of the sea; and yet he was blamed by Horten- 
sius for want of care in allowing his fish to remain in 
what he considered an unhealthy situation. He declared that 
he would bestow more attention on his sick fishes than on 
his sick servants; and this care of his extended to the furnish- 
ing them with water artificially wai'ined, while his sick servants 
were left without any such conveniency. He would even be 
better reconciled to the loss of one of the chariot-mules from 
his stable than that he should lose a Mullet from his pond. — 
(Varro, He re Rustica, B. iii, C. 17.) 
Nor was this feeling to bo ascribed to the merely pecuniary 
value of these fishes, although the prevalence of fashion was 
such, that those who were desu’ous of having a name among 
the high and noble, and for that purpose of making a display 
of luxury, were ready to pay an extravagant price for the 
coveted dish. Martial has an epigram on one who sold a 
valuable slave, that with the price he might for once thus 
indulge himself, and bo talked of, although, in fact, he gave 
his guests but little else to cat. And we hear of another of 
these apes of the rich and the noble, who would not be without 
