6F FISHES IN GENERAL. 
3 C 
ceffion both to the fund of his tubfiftence and enjoy- 
metits, by the capture of fo many animals whom Na- 
ture feemed to have placed beyond the reach of his [low- 
er. A fleet of filling veffeis, manned by a few thoufand 
European failors, is capable of taking a greater number of 
fifh in a feafon, tliata perhaps could be done by all the ra- 
vages on the continent of -America. But the fuperflitious 
regulations of the Romilh Church has tended more than 
any other circuinflance, to enhance the value, and in- 
creafe the quantity of this ipecies of food. To fupply 
the imaginary abflinence of the devout or fuperflitious, 
large demands are annually made upon the fea ; and to 
make up for the deficiencyof this precarious fupply, ponds 
have been dug, and fifh, like land animals, rendered 
domeftic. 
Tn the conflruftion of fhefe ponds, it may be proper 
to obferve, that, if intended for breeding, they ought to 
he of various depths, from fix feet to fix inches ; for few 
fifh will fpawn in water of any considerable depth. Such 
pieces of water ought alfo to be partly filled with aquatic 
plants ; becaufe thefe afford fhelter and nourifhment to dif- 
ferentkinds of irrfe&s, that contribute tofeed the fifhes: For 
a fimilar reafon, fifh ponds ought to be furrounded with 
trees, that the infeeds frequenting them may afford an 
additional fupply for their fuftenance. In arranging the 
fillies in thefe rectptacles, attention ought to be paid to 
the different fpecies that are introduced into the fame 
pond. Carp and tench agree well together ; but they 
frequently do not thrive when mixed with any other 
fpecies. The perch is almoll the only fi;h that can be 
fafely entrufled in a ilieet of water frequented by the 
pike. 
In 
