A REMARKABLE FISH POND

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 353, 2 April 1910, Page 10

A REMARKABLE FISH POND

In the extreme south-west corner of I Scotland, where the attenuated promontory ending in the Mull of Galloway, pushes far out into St. George's Channel, is situated the Logan fish-pond, a remarkable rock-basin, partly natural and partly Jiewn out of the rock into which the tide is admitted through an iron grating. Here for generations ru lias been the custom to imprison fish of the deep sea, especially cod, to be (fed up for the table. If you look stealthily over the encloeing wall you will see a circular basin about 3D feet in diameter, fringed with algae, and so deep that the bottom is not visible through the green water. No sign of life is visible save, perhaps, half-a-dozen codfish or polock-whiting cruising restlessly round the narrow limits. But the sound of the key turning in the lock of the door and of the keeper's foot upon'the wooden stair is enough to rouse the pond into sudden turmoil. Great brown forms arise from the depths, broad tail-flns lash the surface, and gaping mouths appear in all directions. Experience has taught these codfish to associate the sound of the keeper's key and footfall with meal times, and, so lulled their natural dread of man, that they will eagerly take food from his hand." Some years ago—l know not whether tho same may be witnessed now—the aged lady who had acted as keeper had imparted further instruction to one or more of these fish. One, at all events, a great cod of about 121'bs weight, suffered her to lift him out of the water in her arms, and place him in her lap, thorp to receive a meal of mussels or soft crab shoved into his gullet with a wooden spoon. Truly, one could hardly imagine a performance more at variance with the instincts and habits of a pelagis fish.