THE FISHEKY INTERESTS OF AUSTRIA. 603 



erv- statistics. This society has, in its Circular ISTo. 4 for 1872, published 

 a form containing questions regarding the number, nature, and econom- 

 ical value of the useful fish and crawfish, thus paving the way for reli- 

 able information. 



More reliable data regarding the numbers, the different species of fish, 

 and their geographical location in the provinces of Austria have been 

 collected by zealous naturalists. Fish-culture has, undoubtedly, of late 

 years been studied very thoroughly on the before-mentioned basis of 

 legislation. 



11. — SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS. 



Scientific researches, which have made us better acquainted with the 

 mode of life of various animals, have encouraged numerous inven- 

 tions, by which man has been enabled to derive the greatest possible 

 benefit from the animal kingdom. 



The excellent works of ichthyologists from those of Artedi and 

 Linue - down to Siebold's classic work, " Die Siissicasserjische von Mittel- 

 Europa," as also very thorough works on fish-culture, such as Carl Vogt's 

 "Die kunstliche FisckzucM, n Coste's u Instructions pratiques sur la pisci- 

 culture" and others, give the most important suggestions for fishing- 

 legislation. 



Brehra, in the last volume of his u Illustrirtes TMerleben^ gives a 

 masterly description of the life of fishes ; Beta, in his work u Die Be- 

 ivirthschaftung des Wassers und die Ernten daraus, v by describing the un- 

 told wealth which is still hidden therein, endeavors to give a new impetus 

 to its cultivation. 



We owe it to the high degree of perfection to which scientific obser- 

 vations in general have been carried, and especially to the intelligent, 

 thorough, and careful investigations of two Austrian naturalists, Heckel 

 and Kner, in numerous essays by the former, and in the work on the 

 fresh- water fish of the Austrian monarchy, published by them in com- 

 mon, as well as to the before-mentioned work by Siebold, for a faithful 

 and complete natural history of the Austrian fresh-water fish, includ- 

 ing the distribution of their species in the different waters, an exact 

 description of the manner in which they are caught, and the implements 

 employed in fishing. 



Becently, several governments have endeavored to further scientific 

 investigations by special institutions and by granting subsidies from the 

 public treasury. 



In 1862, the Austrian government sent Professor Molin to France and 

 Western Germany to gather full information, both practical and theo- 

 retical, on the progress of the artificial culture of useful aquatic animals. 

 He has published his reports on this journey as well as his important 

 suggestions for fishery-legislation in his work, " Die rationelle Zuclit der 

 Siiswasserjische und einiger in derVoUcsicirthsckaft wiclitigenWasserthiere" 

 li. Molin, Vienna : Braumiiller, 1SG1. 



In 1870 and 1871, the Bohemian ichthyologist Dr. Fric made a jour- 



