BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 85 



behind those in use in the United States. Trawling and drift-net fishing 

 are not at all known, and the only way in which mackerel are caught is 

 by a sort of trap made of netting and set up on piles. It works very 

 well it the fish come into the trap, but sometimes they just pass by it. 

 Fishing is confined to the bay and to certain seasons, at which time the 

 fishermen are all on the alert, and various kinds of fish are caught. The 

 consequence is that there are times when the market is glutted and 

 other times when the supply is far short of the demand. 



" If there were some way of catching the fish, especially mackerel, by 

 going out to sea and fishing greater part of the year, the proceeds would 

 always bring a remunerative price and the market be steadied. Mack- 

 erel are sold both fresh and salt." 



Receipt of Paradise Fish from Germany. — Under date of No- 

 vember 11, 1884, Mr. Paul Matte, a fish-culturistof Bremerhaven, Prus- 

 sia, wrote that he had just sent a consignment of Macropodus venustus, 

 paradise fish. He is a member of the German Fishery Association, and 

 engaged in raising ornamental fish for aquaria, which he imports from 

 all parts of the world. He says, "I have recently introduced from Yo- 

 kohama the first vail-tails (Schliiersclmanze) ever brought to Europe." 



The paradise fish arrived at New York via steamer Werra, on or 

 about November 26, and were taken charge of at the dock of the North 

 German Lloyd Steamship Company by Mr. E. G. Blackford, who took the 

 best of care of them, and forwarded them to Washington, November 28. 

 Of the 12 fish sent over but 5 reached Mr. Blackford alive. Immediately 

 upon reaching Washington the fish were placed in a tank at the Central 

 Station, but 2 died on the 6th of December, and the others on the<8th 

 and 9th of that month. They were in feeble condition when received, 

 and subsequently became completely covered with fungus. 



Scarcity of menhaden, sea-trout, and skip-jack off coast of 

 South Carolina. — Writing from Waverly Mills, S. C, September 

 21, 1884, Mr. W. St. J. Mazyck says : 

 , " For several seasons I have reported the visits of the menhaden to 

 this coast off Pawley Island, 15 miles north of Georgetown Height. 

 The past summer I have seen very few schools, and fish of all kinds 

 have been scarce. The coral banks, 2 or o miles from our beach, usually 

 give us all the fish we need, and commonly repay us for our trouble; we 

 have lately found it almost useless to go to them, and just now, when 

 trout and skip-jack should be plenty, we get none." 



November 18, 1884, he again writes : 



" Later in September we were visited by easterly winds, when a large 

 number of crevalle were observed and some taken. About the 1st of 

 October the winds were more southerly. Large schools of menhaden 

 appeared and remained on the coast for a week. They were close under 

 the shore in the surf. They then disappeared. In October we usually 

 take a large numberof skip-jack and sea-trout, but these were also scarce. 



