The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-29
BLACK Bass for England.


The Trt, Field and Farm states that
the attempt 10 introduce the black bass
Of America into English waters has not
been successful, though Mr.. Joseph J.
Armistead, of the Troutdale Fishery, is
hopeful. He thinks that the importa-
ton can be triumpnantly made across
The Atlantic Mr.. Parnaby, who came
to America for black bass, and who
sailed from these shores in the Russia
with a supply, arrived at Liverpool
July II Mr.. Armistead went down to
the port and met the Russia, and in a
letter to the LIND and Water he give
the facts in detail OF the importation ::
Mr.. Parnabv assured me that he had
hardly lost fish upt 10 the time he ar
rived off Queentown, but that after
coming to an anchor at the mouth Of
the Mersev, the fish soon began to look
very sickly, and when we examined
them after landing in Liverpool, a good
many were found to be dead, and a great
many were in the last stage OF the ex-
isteuce. On turning them out at Trout
dale, ffty-srx were found to be alive,
and on these interesting little foreign
ers, of course, every attention was be
slowed that could possibly tend to
reconcile them to their position and
couduce to their comfort in this, to
them, perhaps, strange land, or think
| should rather say strange water OF
ours. About forty.fve or fifty OF the
little fellows, which were about half An
ich in length, seemed lively enough, hut
the remainder were sickIy, and
would persist every now aid again in
making vigorous efforts to keep their
equilibrium, and then, as il in dispa'r
at the non-suecess Of the attempt, would
as often roll over on their backs. and
either lie thus floating on the surface OF
the water, or gradually descend to the
bottom of the vessel which contained
them. and these there seemed little
hone OF saving, for they were uudou6t-
edly going TO "gangdoon, as Jim the
keeper expressed it. The remainder
were very thin, being long and lanky,
with big heads, and although very dir
ferent in appearance, yet certainly re,
minded one OF halt starved trout, and
the, it seems to me, is one OF the chief
difficulties in the transportation OF
black bass. They must be fed on the
wav. These had been, yet, notwlth-
standing they were very poor, but
not too far gone 10 be be
yond hope, and while had been at
tending to their sanitary welfare, which
was sally needed, an ample rePast OF
finely chopped worms was being pre-
pared tor them, and all being ready, |
soon had the satisfaction OF seeing by
far the greater number Of them 'eedlng
vigorously on the small floating part"
cles, noticed that a few OF the lttle
strangers kept rising perpendicular y to
the surface OF the water, coming from
the bottsm or wherever else they hap
pened to he, and wriggling their tails,
with which alone they seemed 10 pro
mel themselves. Then they would turn
round, and, head downwards, sink SLOW
" TO the bottom from whence they came
inst as if the exertion they had
undergone in rising had driven the
life ont of them. Some OF the heads OF
these had turned lighter in color, and
as anticipated, they soon died Those
IN apparent health, gradually, regret
to saw, Notwithstanding all our care.
Welded to their fate, and each dav found
the number lessened, until on FRIDAY
July 10, just week after their first
arrival, the last survivors, then only
three in number, succumbed. And hers
ended the lives OF the first black has:
that had ever seen daylight in this
country, but l hope they will not be the
last for Mr.. Psrnaby will, all being
we'll, have landed at the other side o
the Atlantic before This will appear ii
print, and he intends to leave no effort
untri.d il scclimatiaine this valuable
fsh.