BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 223 



You may reckon at all events the goldorfe to be a rare fisli, and if 

 Mr. Hessel has brought them over, you possess one of the rarest of our 

 fishes. There may possibly be fouuu considerable difficulty in hatching 

 them. You should keep them in small ponds apart from all rapacious 

 fishes. 



In accordance with with. Mr. Welsher's agreements we procured — 



Marks. 

 39 small orfc (yearlings), at 1.70 marks 06. 30 



5 middle size orfe (2 year olds), at 3 marks 15. 00 



6 large orfe (4 and 5 year olds), at 6 marks 36. 00 



50 small carp (commou scaled), at 50 pfennigs 25. 00 



142. 30 



We started with them in three tin cans (borrowed from the estab- 

 lishment at Wiesbaden), on the morning of the 17th, with the express 

 steamer from Bieberich to Cologne, where we arrived at 5.30 p. m. 



It was the hottest day we had had during the summer. The thermo- 

 meter (Eeaumur) indicated 27° in the shade (95° F.). It is needless to 

 enumerate the difficulties we encountered in the care of the fish. 



Mr. Welsher supplied them at short intervals with fresh water from 

 the Ehine, and with great trouble I obtained a piece of ice, otherwise 

 we should have lost all the fishes within the first hour. Many of them 

 turned on their backs, but fresh water and ice revived them. On reach- 

 ing Cologne, we had lost oulj two of the carp. 



At Cologne I had some trouble to get the fish into the baggage-car of 

 the express train, as this is not allowable in this country; but I spoke 

 to the superintendent, who was kind enough to allow it. I ordered by 

 telegraph fresh water to be ready at the few places the train stopped 

 longer than three minutes, and so, with great trouble and much fatigue, 

 we arrived at 4 o'clock a. m. on the ISth, the fish being all in good con- 

 dition, as the night had been cool. 



Here, in Bremen, we have deposited them in a fine marble water 

 reservoir, where they continually get fresh cold water, so that they are 

 in first-rate condition. Mr. Welsher will go on Wednesday (25th), as the 

 Saturday steamer is so crowded there is no place for him. I have no 

 doubt he will bring over the fishes safely, being provided with fresh 

 water and ice. 



I was disappointed to find that the carp we got at Wiesbaden were 

 not a fine and good quality, as they are indeed hybrids between the 

 carps {Cyprimis carpio) and tlie karausche {Cyprinus carassiiis) or brach- 

 sen {G. brcuna), a form which is very common and of little value, hav- 

 ing too many bones and too little flesh; but when we were at Wiesba- 

 den we did not see these smaller ones only as they were swimming 

 through the water, and I could not exactly distinguish what kind they 

 "uore. It may be that Mr. Kirsch did believe his carp were fine ones, as 

 genuine carj) are indeed rare, but, this hybrid one is common. I regret 

 that the carp are not good, for which I will be wholly responsible; but, 



