CODS. 
255 
Scotland. It was originally a small basin in 
the rock, with which the sea communicated by 
means of a natural tunnel ; but as the bottom was 
very little below the medium level of the sea, it 
was nearly dry at low water. It having occurred 
to Colonel M^Dowall that by increasing the size 
and depth of this basin he might, at all times and 
seasons of the year, have a constant supply of sea- 
fish, he quarried and blasted the rocks both at 
the sides and bottom, till he had formed a circular 
excavation of about fifty feet in diameter ; and 
there is now, I believe, at low tide about eight 
feet of water left ; so that the fish have an ample 
allowance of their native element at all times, and 
a fresh supply every flood-tide, which rises in the 
pond about six feet. There is a high wall built 
on the upper edge of the rock surrounding the 
pond, to prevent poaching in this unusual pre- 
serve ; and a grating is fixed before the tunnel to 
prevent the escape of the fish, and below high- 
water mark the sea-weed clings to the rocks, 
giving them in that respect a perfectly natural 
appearance. A cottage, in which the female 
keeper and her son reside, adjoins the pond. . . . 
The door opens to a small landing-place at 
the top of a flight of steps which leads to the 
water’s edge, where there is a platform of rock, 
which, at that time, was only about two inches 
above the level of the water ; and below the ledge 
on which I was standing was another, about a 
foot under water — less or more. No sooner did 
the party make their appearance at the top of 
the stairs than there was a general commotion 
among the fish, and they rushed towards the plat- 
form, pushing and jostling each other in their 
