Fishes. It may be considered proper in this order to take some notice of the fishes that are found in the ponds of Northwood. And though a Walton has not treated upon angling in these little inland lakes, yet when they shall have been as long known, and the inhabitants of their shores find as much leisure as those in his country, they may be improved to as much pleasure and perhaps profit.*

The PICKEREL is generally the most esteemed, and is a very fine fish; they are not often taken that weigh more than four pounds, and their average weight is not above a pound and an half, though some have reported having caught them that weighed 5, and some even 7 pounds. But the writer of this having angled as successfully in those waters, as any one to his knowledge, must conclude that such were weighed in the balance of supposition. There are few fish more elegant in form and appearance than the pickerel. The color of the back is nearly a jet black, and its sides black and gold, very bright when first taken out of the water, but becomes pale as soon as the fish is dead, which is usually in about twenty minutes. The belly is white and the scales very small. They are taken three ways: 1st. A pole of from 12 to 20 feet, with a line about the same length, is provided with a hook of three fourths of an inch bow. Almost any kind of bait hooked upon it, and gently skipped along upon the surface of the water, is the most employed. 2d. In the winter a hole is cut through the ice, and a baited hook kept in motion near the bottom. 3d. In the

* Dr. Mitchell has published in the transactions of the Philos. Society of New-York, for the year 1814, a memoir of the Fishes of New-York ;but in his enumeration, I do not find bat one fresh water fish noticed; however, he seems perfectly aware of the value of that part of ichthyology, and remarks, page 438, "Important discoveries may be anticipated from the waters of the interior country, and especially from the lakes. For the person who shall be enabled to explore those regions, in a proper manner, there will be abundant employment, and a naturalist's reward."

† No other names will be used, except such as the fish are here known by,

*

spring after the ice breaks up, they are taken in a most destructive manner with spears. The sun during the day warms the shoal water near the shore, which attracts them from the cold and deeper parts. One person sitting in the stern of a boat, paddles it softly along, while a second occupies the prow, holding a torch in one hand and a spear in the other. They are not attracted by the light, as some fish are said to be,† but as soon as they are sensible of its presence, escape to the deep water; nor are any of the fish in these ponds as I could ever discover. Almost all kinds of fish in these ponds come near the shore at this

season.

The BARVIL are taken in the spring of the year in great abundance with the spear. They ascend the streams from the ponds, and are taken at dams, where the water being suddenly stopped, they fall an easy prey. Their average size is very nearly that of the pickerel. They are not taken with a hook, or very rarely; their mouth being formed only for suction. On this account they are by some called Suckers, but they are a different fish.

The SUCKER differs from the Barvil in shape, being flat like a Shad, but has a mouth like the Barvil. These are sometimes, though erroneously, called Chub. They are often found among Barvil in the brooks, but generally in still water, where the bottom is muddy. In warm weather they collect together like a shoal of herrings, at considerable distance from the shore, and play with their backs out of water for some time.

ROACH are of two kinds, white and red. They are taken with the hook, but are not so plenty as formerly, and will, no doubt, finally disappear.

This was a mode of fishing used by the Indians.

+ See Hist. New-Hampshire, 111. 67.

Properly Barbel, which Cotton and Walton, in their "Complete Angler," my is so called from certain barbs which append to the under jaw of that fish.

Their average weight may be about three-fourths of a pound. They are found in some ponds and not in others. There is something of singularity in this. Durgin's pond contains them, but they were never known, at least since the town was settled, in Long pond, which is separated from Durgin's only by a short piece of meadow or heath, through which a brook connects them. It was supposed that the reason why they were not found in Long and Swain's ponds, was because they had no sandy shores; but when it was found that Durgin's pond contained them, this reason was exploded; this being the most sunken, and presenting the least hard shore of them all.

PERCH are as universally known, almost, as the element in which they live. They are a fish of the finest flavor, and are found in abundance in all our ponds. They are armed with sharp bones in their fins, on their back and sides. That on the back when erected, resembles a saw.

The HOGBACK, or sun-fish as some call it, is a very attracting thing. It is about as large as the Perch. In the spring he takes his stand near the shore, where the bottom is sandy, and there prepares a bed about as large over as an earthern milk-pan, and nearly as deep This he does by means of his fins. Over this bed he buoys himself, occasionally turning around, all the while keeping watch like a sentinel, to avoid surprize. If a perch or other small fish approach his nest, he erects the sharp fins on his back, and like the animal from which he takes his name, and in this respect, which he very much resembles, starts towards them; a little sideways and slowly at first, then rushes upon them with great fury, and the intruder is glad to make his escape. He is known here by no other name than the first; is excellent food, and can hardly be distinguished from the Perch when cooked. Their form is like that of the Place, but swims upright.

The SHINER. This is a very beautiful fish, and has its name from its appearance. It is not so large as the Perch, and is not much esteemed for food, being very full of small bones. It is considered the best bait that can be found for pickerel. His mouth is like the roach, and his shape like the Perch, though not quite so thick.

EELS are very plenty, and quite as large as those in the salt water. The best time for taking them is in the night.

POUTS are not so plenty nor so large as formerly; this is the more remarkable as they are not so much fished for. Long and Suncook ponds produced the best. In 1812, they were taken in great plenty in lowering weather, in almost every brook; but at this time they would be sought for in vain at places that then abounded with them. Their color and skin is the same as that of the Eel. Their head is very large, and their mouth wide. They are found in muddy bottom, and the night is the best time for taking them. Their meat is esteemed next the Eel; they considerably resemble the sculpion in shape, but their head is broader and flatter. On each side of their body and close to the head is a formidable weapon, called a horn, and hence the name of Horn-pout. This is attached to and appcars no otherwise than a part of the fin. There is another upon the back. What is peculiar about these horns, is the ability of the fish to make them permanent or very pliable. Persons not accustomed to take them are very liable to be wounded by them, whose poisonous effects cause considerable swelling and pain. Although these horns they use as nimbly as another fin in swimming, yet they have the power of fixing them in a perpendicular direction from their body, so permanently that they must be broken before they can be loosened. To the back and side fins of the Perch, are similar horns at

tached, but they are always moveable and much more flexible. This is believed to be the same species of fish as that known in other places by the name of Catfish, but never here.

The TROUT is a very beautiful fish, but very few are to be found in the brooks of Northwood. Flatmeadow brook, which falls into the Suncook at its N. W. part, has the best. A few were formerly found in one of the outlets of Littlebow, and in a brook near the foot of saddleback mountain, and perhaps a few others; they are very small.

er sources.

Streams. Of these there are very few which can claim attention in these notes; the town being in general elevated, is the source of streams, rather than affording channels for those from othThe only one which can claim the name of river, is the outlet of Suncook pond, which no sooner discharges itself than it is within the limits of Epsom. The outlets of Jenness', Swain's, and Long ponds, being the three largest that disembogue their waters within the town, dwindle to nothing in dry seasons. In some seasons no water moistens the bed of their parched channels for many days together. The chief inlet to Swain's pond is now very inconsiderable, but from its singularity in indicating storms, may be noticed. In a drought the water ceases to run for many days, according to the degrees of dryness. But water is sure to ooze from the ground so as to run in its channel before a rain; so that in extreme dry times this brook is narrowly watched by those living near it, who hail its rising with joy, being never disappointed of rain within twenty-four hours after the phenomenon is observed. It is called Bunker's brook, because a hunter of that name was killed upon it. The place where he was killed is about half a mile from the turn