A Letter from Mr. Wm. Arderon, F. R. S. to Mr. Baker, F. R. S. on Keeping of Small Fish in Glass Jars: And of an Easy Method of Catching Fish

4. In morbis infantum, quorum natura videatur reconditior, ex accurata partium externarum contemplatione, indagine, fortassis aliquid lucis elici queat: idoque nequaquam prætermittendum. 5. Quotiescunque tubercula, pustulae exanthemata, singularem aliquam corporis regionem occupant, ibi subtus, in vicinia, malum fomitem latere suspicandum. Ita tandem casum, nulla arte sanabilem, et forte nimia diligentia exposui; id vero ægre te laturum haud quidem existimo: nollent enim nescire cordatores in arte viri, quibus ex causis præmatura mors superveniat, quotiescunque cadavera lustrandi copia conceditur: ipsos etenim medentes non solum rerum gnaros peritosque reddit, verum etiam tam orbatis dolorem minuit, quam dedecus aufert arti, palam perspectum habere, nullis remediis, nulla ope, ne quidem tua, supremam sortem potuisse protrahi. Vale, vir candide, diuque felix orbi intersis, bonarum artium patronus, medicæque juventutis pater atque princeps. IV. A Letter from Mr. Wm. Arderon, F.R.S. to Mr. Baker, F.R.S. on keeping of small Fish in Glass Jars: And of an easy Method of catching Fish. Read Jan. 16. 1745-6. In the Beginning of September 1744. I procured a small Dace, about an Inch in Length, which I put into a glass Jar, that held held near a Quart. I kept it till the latter End of May following; in which time it grew full half an Inch in Length, but very little in Breadth. I began my Observations with this Kind of Fish, because I took it to be the most difficult (having formerly made some few Attempts this Way); supposing, if I but tolerably succeeded in this, my other Attempts might be more fortunate. All this while it seldom or never eat any thing, excepting the small Animalcula which happened to be in the Water I gave it; which I found necessary to do once every Day in Winter, and twice or thrice in the Spring, as the Weather grew warmer. When the Water was fresh, it would come up to the Top about once in an Hour, to blow out some small Bubbles of Air; then, putting its Nose near the Surface, it would take in a fresh Supply; and when it had taken in a sufficient Quantity, it would retire to the Bottom again. But, as the Water became more and more adulterated by its Use, its Returns to the Surface were more frequent, till, at last, it would remain there continually, till I gave it a fresh Quantity. Thus, I believe, I might have kept this Fish for Years; but a Multitude of Business one Day prevented me from giving it clean Water in due Time; which unfortunately put a Period to the Life of my little Companion. However, such Care I had taken before of this beautiful little Animal, that, to the Moment it died, it had not so much as lost one single Scale. At first when I catch'd this silver-colour'd Fish, it would not suffer me to come nigh the Glass which included included it, without the utmost Confusion and Surprise; but at last, by gentle Usage, and a little Art, it grew so tame, that if I came but in Sight, would be sure to be of the same Side of the Glass I was on, and there lie gazing at me until I was weary of observing of it. I very often took the Opportunity of looking upon this Fish by Candle-light, which I always thought it took great Pleasure in. In the before-mention'd Month of September 1744. I likewise put a Ruff, about three Inches in Length, into another Glass, which held about three Quarts. This Fish at first appeared mighty reserv'd, and would not eat any thing, or suffer me to come nigh it, for several Days; but, in a very short time, all-powerful Hunger afflicted me to make it so tame, as is scarce believable. Tho' my Dace found, amongst the minute Animalcula, the little Inhabitants of our River-Water, enough to subsist upon, this Ruff found nothing by which it could satisfy the Calls of Nature; so, of consequence, was compell'd to take what I provided for it, and in what particular Manner I was pleased to give it. After this Method did I bring it to be so tame, that it would not only eat small Worms I threw into the Glass for it, but would also take them out of my Hands, or of a Quill, just as I thought proper to give it them: Nay it would even rise out above the Water for its Prey: Which is quite contrary to the Way this kind of Fish takes its Food. And, at last, it would come to my Hand whenever I put it into the Glass, and suffer me to handle it. But, to ease me of my Care, when I had made all the Observations I thought necessary, and in Pity to its Confinement, when I had kept it about seven or eight Months, I gave it its Liberty. Out of the various Sorts of Fish I have made Trial of, I never could bring any to be so tame as this above-mention'd: From which I infer, that Fish of Prey, as Pikes, Perch, Ruffs, &c. are the properest Objects for this kind of Amusement; and did but our English Virtuosi know how easily these sort of Fish are tamed, and kept in Glasses, it might be a means to lessen their Esteem for those brought from China; unless it chiefly rise from their coming four or five Thousand Miles off. Of all the Kinds of Fish I have view'd the Circulation of the Blood in, there's none shew it in a finer manner than Ruffs, whose Fins are exceedingly transparent: Besides, it's a Fish that's vastly tenacious of Life, and will live twenty or thirty Minutes out of Water, and not receive much Damage. As what can any ways conduce to the Service of Mankind, however trifling it may appear to some, will never prove disagreeable to an ingenious and humane Mind, I shall add hereto a short Account how small Fish are catched in some Parts of Norfolk. At a Country Town about five or six Miles from Norwich, the poor Sort of People have a very cheap and expeditious Method of catching small Fish, such as Dace, Roach, &c. out of a little Rivulet which runs close by. The Method is thus. They procure a Bough of White-thorn, which abounds with Numbers of Thorns; one of which they cut off, and fashion into the Form represented by A. Tab. I. Fig. 2. To this they tie a Piece of Thread, as pictured at B. Then they take a Worm, and slip it on the Thorn and Thread together, as is shewn at C. The other End of the Thread they fasten to some small Twig that hangs over the Rivulet, as D. Thus they do by some Hundreds at a time; by which means they seldom fail of catching a great many Fishes: For no sooner does a Fish take the Worm into its Mouth, and endeavour to be gone, than its Mouth is gagged quite open, and it is presently drowned. Jan. 16. 1745-6. V. Extracts of Two Letters from the Rev. Henry Miles, D.D. & F.R.S. to Mr. Henry Baker, F.R.S. concerning the Effects of a Cane of black Sealing-wax, and a Cane of Brimstone, in Electrical Experiments. I. Dear Sir, Being determined on making some Experiments in Electricity with other Bodies besides Glass, a little before the Holi- D 2