BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 179 



Guided by practice and a i)roper knowledge of the locality, it maybe 

 safe to say that the following quantities of fish could be planted and 

 reared in the new valley : 



Kind of fish. 



Clirj sophrys aurata. 



Mugil auratus 



Mugil capito 



Muffil saliens 



Mugil cephalus 



Labtax lupus 



Mugil clielo 



Eels 



Capacity. 



600, 000 

 1, 000, 000 



3, 000, 000 



4, 000, 000 

 100, 000 

 150, 000 

 100, 000 



Annual 

 Product. 



Kilograms. 

 36, 000 

 50, 000 

 33, 000 

 50, 000 

 25, 000 

 8,500 

 6,250 

 30, 000 



In this calculation the smaller fisheries have not been taken into ac- 

 count — such as the fisheries for Gohins opMoccpJialus, Atherina, Carcinus 

 mccnas, &c. — which ought not to be despised. 



That the conditions of this site are most favorable appears not only 

 from practical observations, and from those which I made during my 

 visit, but also from a comparison with the adjoining Val Nova and the 

 grounds which it is proposed to inclose. 



In the first the Mugil cepJiaUis, when one year old, weighs 8 to 9 ounces, 

 in the se'cond 12 ounces, and when two years old it reaches the weight 

 of 35 ounces. A larger size and heavier weight are also noticed in La- 

 hrax h(2)us, Mugil chelo, &c., of the same age. 



These facts may be caused by the absolute liberty which the fish en- 

 joy, and if compelled to remain Avithin an inclosure the fish would not 

 find themselves under the same favorable conditions. But I believe 

 that it is sufficiently proved that this new locality ofl'ers all the condi- 

 tions necessary for the growth of fish. 



The expense of inclosing this valley will be very considerable. The 

 embankment surrounding it should be 2^ meters high, and on the side 

 where it is most exposed to the prevailing winds it should bo covered 

 with Istria stone, of which 1,000 cubic meters will be needed, costing 

 Gi lire [about $1.30] per cubic meter delivered. From an approximate 

 calculation made by Mr. Lionello Grego it appears that the entire ex- 

 penses, including embankments, five sewers, ditches, fish-ponds, dwel- 

 ling-houses, &c., would not be much more than 200,000 lire [about 

 $40,000], a sum which must be considered small compared with the re- 

 sults which may be obtained. 



OYSTERS. 



From ancient times there have been oyster-beds in the Venetian la- 

 goons, on which oysters four to six months old were planted which in 

 a very short time became fit for the market. These places not only serve 

 as oyster reserves, but also as pares for reproduction, as the oysters 

 flourish here to a remarkable degree, and sound sjiawn becomes fixed 



