PRESERVATION OF FISH DURING CARRIAGE.

The belly of the fish to be opened, and the internal parts sprinkled with powdered charcoal. New Monthly Mag.

The most favourable time to transport fish from one place to another, is the winter, provided it is not too cold,-the age from three to four Sonini's Buffon. years.

LONGEVITY OF FISHES.

Respecting the longevity of fishes, from reasoning we might be induced to conjecture, that it was not intended by nature that the duration of their lives should be fixed to such a short space of time, nor the expansion of size, to such narrow limits, as that of terrestrial animals; for the bones of fishes are so much of a cartilaginous nature, as to admit of being expanded by a natural increment for a much greater number of years than the harder bones of land animals. In the royal pond at Marli, in France, there are some fishes that are said to have been preserved since the time of Francis 1. Dr. Anderson.

CHINESE ART OF FATTENING FISH.

Tanks and small ponds are generally met with in gardeners' grounds, where they are used to fatten fish in, and afterwards to water the garden,

-this stew, or pond, is filled with as many young store fish as it will hold, which can be easily done, as almost all the fish in China are brought to market alive---placed in the stew, they are regularly fed morning and evening, their food is chiefly boiled rice, to which is added the blood of any animals they may kill, the wash from their stewing-pots and dishes, or any offal or vegetable matter which the fish will eat: it is also said that some olaceous medicaments are used, to make them more voracious, but of this the writer could obtain no authentic account. Fish so fed, and treated, advance in size rapidly; a species of perch from three to four inches, arrive to eight or nine inches in a few months, and are then brought to market,---the pond is entirely cleared out once Journal of Science, 1827.

a year.

COMMENDATIONS UPON ANGLING.

The art of angling, or fishing, says Daubenton, places within the reach of man a number of animated beings which furnish us with nutriment, though separated from us by the different element which they inhabit; man triumphs over all obstacles by the superiority of his understanding, framing the most ingenious methods, drawing the fishes from the bottom of their waters, where they considered themselves sheltered from his attacks.

C

Fishing seems to have preceded all other sports. Some authors say that Belus was the first inventor of this art. It is probable that after the deluge, as fish being the only animals that were not destroyed, fishing naturally became the first art that Noah and his family practised, to obtain their subsistence.

This art, also, was well known to the Greeks in the time of Homer: the Romans were still more perfect in it. Plutarch also informs us that Marc Anthony and Cleopatra were great lovers of the art of angling, which was their principal recreation. The Gauls, also, were not ignorant of this art, as they passed a law, with a fine, to prevent persons fishing for eels with a net. If we consider that fish are almost alone in their possession of the waters, which forms the greatest part of the globe, we may have a proper idea of the importance of fishing, when we reflect that the element which they inhabit is so naturally opposed to our immediate access to it, we may conceive what skill and patience are required to subdue such a numerous class of animals. Fishing followed the progress of civilization, and is become a great and important branch of commerce to most nations. Angling, as an offset of this great art, is considered an agreeable relaxation, and is particularly so to the sedentary, and also to such as have been overtaken by

declining years, when few active enjoyments are left to us.

Angling is a diversion suited to the rich as well as to the more humble in life. When judiciously followed, it is both a healthy and an interesting pursuit.

Thus it is remarked again,

"In the art of angling man hath none to quarrel with but himself, and this enmity, if any, can be easily composed. This recreation falleth within the lowest fortune to compass,-affording also profit as well as pleasure, in following which exercise, a man may employ his thoughts in the noblest studies, almost as freely as in his closet, the minds of anglers being usually calm, and composed,—but when he has the worst success, he only loseth but a hook and line, or, perhaps, what he never possessed, a fish; and suppose he takes nothing, yet he enjoyeth a delightful walk by pleasant rivers, in sweet pastures, amongst odoriferous flowers, which gratify his senses and delight his mind; and these contentments induce many to choose those places of pleasure for their summer recreation and health." Col. Venables.

No life, my honest scholar, no life so happy, so pleasant, as the life of a well governed angler, -there we sit in cowslips, hear the birds sing, and possess ourselves in as much quietness as

these silver streams which we now see glide so quietly by us. Isaac Walton.

Isaac Walton being so well known, and his work on angling in the possession of most persons,---it has been thought proper to extract but little from him,---his commendation on angling is known to all lovers of the gentle art, so much so, that there are many Waltonian Clubs established throughout England, and even in various parts of America. Editor.

Sir Henry Wotton observes respecting angling, ""Twas an employment for his idle time, which was not then idly spent, for angling was, after tedious study, a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his spirits, a diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness, and that it begot habits of peace and patience in those that professed and practised it."

Fishing is a kind of hunting by water, be it with nets, weeles, baites, angling, or otherwise, and yields all out as much pleasure to some men as dogs or hawkes. When they draw the fish upon the banke, saith Nic. Henselius, Silesiographia, cap. 3, speaking of the extraordinary delight his countrymen tooke in fishing. T. Dubranius de piscibus telleth how, travelling by