456 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



218.— KRIEF NOTES UPOIV FISH AND FISBTEKIES. 



By CIIAS. \r. SMILEY. 



[Maiuly extracts from the official correspondence.] 



The FISHERIES OF Syria. — TLe tisLeries along the coast of Syria 

 are neither extensive nor important, the fish caught being of inferior 

 quality, lloach, mullet, and tunny are the principal varieties, and may 

 be taken in all seasons of the year. Fishermen are few, and the amount 

 of capital invested in boats and fishing tackle is small. The fisheries 

 controlled by the governor of Beirut are leased to the highest bidder 

 annually, who receives 20 per cent, of the value of all fish caught in 

 his district. Last year the lessee paid $3,280, which sum forms part of 

 the sum appropriated to defray the expenses of the court j^resided over 

 by the local governor. The value of the fish is estimated at $20,000. 

 A coarse sponge is found near Beirut, but little attention is given to 

 sponge-fishing on the Syrian coast. (From reports of the consuls of 

 the United States on the commerce, manufactures, &c., of their con- 

 sular districts, page 641.) 



Carp for sale. — Mr. L. H. Pigg, editor of the Pittsylvania Tribune, 



Chatham, Yn., writes under date of September G, 1884, that ^he has 



150,000 young carp for sale at the following prices : 



For 100 carp, 2 to 5 inches long $5 



For 500 carp, 2 to 5 inches long $20 



For breeders, per pair $2 to 5 



For a five-gallon transportation can f 1 



Mr. Pigg obtained 25 carp from the United States Fish Commission 

 November 11, 1881, and 20 more November 8, 1882. 



The fish-catching bladderwort. — Prof. A. S. Minot, of Boston, 

 states that he has observed young fish trapped by Utricularia when at 

 large in the natural condition. 



Mr. C. J. Bottemaune, of Bergen-op-Zoom, Netherlands, calls atten- 

 tion to the following record on this subject: In the " Physiologic of 

 Plants" of Prof. Hugo de Vries, Amsterdam, C. L, Brinkman, 1880, I 

 find, page 205, that Utricularia vulgaris " if a small water animal swims 

 against one of the bladders it is caught at once;" and page 206, "if a 

 branch with leaves of Utricularia is put in a glass of water with plenty 

 of animal life, after a few hours every bladder has caught one or more 

 of them." 



Pie adds : Ever since, I have taken the Utricularia as eaters of fish 

 embryos, as I call the newly hatched fish till they have got their 

 proper form and are able to care for themselves, and was under the im- 

 pression every one knew it, as the book was printed for the use of the 

 higher class ot schools (viz, Uoogere, Burgerscholen). 



