Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-03-25


ion with power, (Which no treaty and ~
signature can bind, anaagainst which the taiti
which holds the moral elements OF the worlf
together is no protection.
Fishes.
Nature has every where provided food
for man. Every element is full Of Lie,
and constantly producing that which goes TO
nourish and strengthen the human race. IN
the waters perhaps more abundantly than else
where and more easily TO be obtained, are the
means Of sustenance. Man takes to the wat
er as to the land he seeks food as soon from
the one as the other; and every where in their
own element, from the seas whose bottoms
have never been reached by lead and line, to
the brooks that come pouring down the noun
tains and leaping from the hills, do fishes
abound. Their names and species are almost
endless and their habits of life have never in
many cases been discovered. 1t happens un-
fortunately, that our manner of dealing with
the finny tribes tends greatly to their destruc-
ton, almost before we know their value or
the means of their preservation and propaga-
ton. This has been seen not alone with u.s.
where they are so fast disappearing from the
rivers and streams-from the bays and SEAS
the cod and its associates, the salmon, shad,
piekerel, perch, and their fellows--but thus
w ere given for a barbarous state, and disap-
peared as civilization advanced. They have
diminished in Great Britain and Ireland as
fast as with us, though they have passed one
statute upok another for hundreds of years,
to prevent it. IL is mentioned in Ireland, in
the 10th century, in the very places where
they now complain of theirimpoverished con-
dition, that they complain more often for
bursting their nets with the over great take Of
fish, than for any want Now many of the
tishings have there been abandoned. So in
Scotland. Upon the Tweed but one-fourth as
many salmon were taken in 1851 as in 1911;
and it was noticed that four-fifths Of those ia
ken were ON their first ascent, before having
propagated their species. Go to the North
Seas and the same thing is true. A recent
writer says, that Russian civilization has re-
duced to misery the fish eating tribes of Sibe-
ria and the migration of fish up the fresh
water rivers, will hereafter be known only in
tradition.
This destruction of fish must be uncalled for,
since their productive power is greater than
any other higher animal. In the spawn of the
tench have been counted $4,000 eggs at once !;
in the mackerel, 546,000 and in the cod, L.
357 900. We can only account for the dimi-
mutton from the ignorance of their natures
and habits, and the thoughtless manner of
taking them by improper means, and at sea-
sons preventing Reproduction as one of the
statues of Henry VIII reads, ''by persons
having respect only to their own willfulnesse,
singular commoditie and benefit" or as was
said by an after statute, "by persons of greedy
appetites and Unsuitable desires.
The natural supply having failed for want of
care, the world is now studying to reproduce
them by artificial means. This we believe has
for long time been done by the Chinese, who
have even succeeded in crossing breeds, as
with animals. The mode of operating is very
simple. There are but two fishes that produce
their young alive-the whale, and new fish,
of which Prof. Agassiz has some specimens,
discovered in California, in 1852. AL others
lay their eggs and the male afterwards passes
over impregnating OF giving life to the deposits.
If, then, the fishes fail in one stream, they can
be renewed by taking the impregnated eggs
from the stream where they are laid, to sup
Hly another. In this way fishes may be had
in greater abundance than where nature sup
plies them, and they may be grown to furnish
the table of the proprietor, for sale, as sheep
or pigs can be on land. This pisiculture or
fsh-raising has been extensively carried on of
late in France, where it is expected they will
yet supply much food to the poorer classes
The Dutch have also established fish nurseries
in the neighborhood of the Hague; and the
Scotch on the river Tay, have made salmon,
nursery of 100000 eggs, that are expected to
hatch this spring. In other parts of Europe
this process goes on with hopes of success,
and theriyers and bays may yet be as of old.
We notice that in New York and some other
sections of this country, that they talk of try
ing the experiment. 1t is worth the trial to
return the salmon to their old haunts, and to
fill the ponds and streams with trout and pick
erel, as in other days. There would be not
only the unequalled pleasure of taking the
fish, but how agreeable to go to our little
brooks and water privileges in the country, as
we would to poultry yard, to be furnished
for our dinner. Fishes may not only be nat
uralized, but civilized, so to speak, domestic
Gated. Though they cannot be learned much,
having but yeay small amount Of brain. and
that less solid than warm blooded animals.
the sharks being but 1-2500 of his body, and
the funny fish 1877, 400, while in man it is l.
%, yet they remember the hand that feeds
Them and by the voice of the master become
quite tame. DIR. Balch of Amesbury, has a
nursery, where this may be seen; and a few,
years ago, little girl down on the South
shore, had so overcome their timid natures,
that they would come in answer to the names
she gave them and feed froniAer hand. There
have been many instances of the kind. and
hereafter it may bea common occurrence.