Many species of fish frequent the shores, but the inha bitants do not seem to avail themselves of the gi•eat advan tage to be derived from them. Rays, turbot, plaise, soles, and mullet, are caught, besides others. But," in the words of an old author, " the sea about Jersey may be stiled the kingdom of congers," which arc seen among the rocks at all seasons ; some six feet long, and weighing 54 pounds. Oysters, lobsters, and crabs, are plentiful. Numbers of small snakes, all harmless, and also beautiful lizards, are seen on the island. It is infested by toads of monstrous size, though none are found on Guernsey. The red legged partridge was once common, but is now nearly extirpated. There are three species of field mice, one of which, in as far as we can learn, is the mus typhlus, or blind mole, hi therto ascribed to southern Russia. It approaches to the size of a rat, and is of a grey colour, with long hair : the eyes are so small as to be scarcely discernable ; and under the fur there are in the site of the ears two bare vesicles. The horses of the island are small, strong and hardy ; and the cows are of that breed known in England by the name of Alderney cows. Sheep are diminutive in size,•and most ly black. Another species is alluded to by authors of the seventeenth century, as " those famous sheep with six horns, three of each side ; one whereof bent towards the nose, another backwards towards the neck, and the third stood erected upwards in the midst of the other two, men tioned by writers as one of the singularities of this are become very rare." Some goats are bred ; and hares are scarce.
The inhabitants are distinguished by few peculiarities from those of the rest of the British Dominions, except in their language, which is French. This is the vernacular tongue ; divine service, pleadings in court, and the public acts, arc all in good French, which is understood, and oc casionally spoken, by the upper ranks ; but, in compliance with custom, they frequently converse in the provincial language, which is described as consisting of more dia lects than those or ancient Greece. But English is be coming more prevalent daily, and, if it received greater encouragement, would soon be universal.
In the year, 1806, the total population of Jersey amount ed to 4363 families, consisting of 10,284 males and 12,571 females, being 22,855 souls, which is at the rate of 365 per sons to each square mile. These are dispersed in twelve parishes, containing two towns, several villages, and several fortresses. The town of St. Helier is the capital, situated on the east side of St. Aubin's Bay, and consisting of about 1000 houses, wherein between a third and a fourth•of the whole population, or above 6000 individuals, reside. In the year 1693, it seems to have consisted of only 210 houses. Their antique appearance is now modernized ; many of the streets have footpaths, but they are liable to be overflowed by the channels of a stream from the north, and the town is not yet lighted ; consequently, a great number of small lanterns are seen in motion at night. There is a square, wherein stands a gilt statue of King George II. in Roman costume, surrounded by a neat iron railing. The parish church, which is the most modern in the island, was built in 1341 ; but, since that time, it has undergone considerable alterations. It contains a neat organ, and some handsome mural monu ments. There are also chapels for Presbyterians and Wes leyan Methodists, both of which are neat and spacious buildings of recent erection. The Roman Catholics perform
divine worship in a private apartment, not being sufficient ly affluent to erect an edifice exclusively devoted to the exercise of their religion. There arc a workhouse and a public hospital here for the use of the whole island. The latter was rebuilt in 1783, in consequence of another being damaged by an explosion of gunpowder. It has commonly about 100 patients, of whom not above two-thirds are na tives of Jersey, and about a tenth part of the whole labour under mental derangement. On one side of the square is the court-house, a plain but solid structure, wherein are held the assembly of the states and the courts of judicature; and the governor of the island has a house and garden be longing to the town. A new prison, situated at the west extremity of St. Heliers, on the sea shore, was completed The basement of this edifice has a squared front of sienite from Mont Mado, and is separated from the up per story by a facia of dark grey granite from Sorel, a rocky promontory in the northern quarter of the island. Above this the sienite is resumed ; and the uniformity being re lieved by pilasters between every window, the whole is completed with an elegant cornice of Portland stone. The front stands on an arcade extending 120 feet in length by 8 in width ; and the intercolumnations are grated to the crown of the arches. The space within the arcade is for the accommodation of the male prisoners, when they leave their dormitories. Water is raised to a capacious cistern in the roof, by means of a forcing pump, and the prisoners of every description have access to a constant and ample supply. The centre of the upper floor forms a chapel, divided by partitions of sufficient height, to prevent any communication whatever, whither the prisoners of the se veral classes are conducted by different doors. An unfi nished house in the town was converted to a theatre, where some comedians occasionally repair from England to per form during a few months of the year, and there are regular assemblies in winter. A public library was established by the Rev. Mr Falk in the 17th century, which since that time has received considerable accessions. There are three gazettes in French published here on Wednesday, and one in English on Saturday. A weekly market is held for fish and provisions, which is well supplied, especially from the coast of France since the late peace ; most of the flour is brought from that country and England. Several packets are es tablished between St. Helier's and Weymouth, and there are regular traders to Southampton, whither the voyage is usually made in between 16 and 24 hours. The town of St. Aubin's stands on the opposite side of the bay, to which it gives name, about four miles from St Helier's. It is a small place, situated under a long range of cliffs, and con sists principally of one street, well sheltered from the pre valent winds, and commanding a fine and interesting pros pect of the bay. Being distant from the church of St Bre„ lade, to which parish it belongs, a neat chapel has been erected by private subscription. This town is protected by a fort mounting 14 guns, which has been erected on a rock, dry at low water, but insulated with the rise of the tide. A strong pier projects from the fort, within which there are 30 feet water at new and full moon, and although this is merely a tide harbour, St Aubin's, on account of it, enjoys some portion of foreign trade.