BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 37 



ner in which lie does it. The German carp-culturists, however, have 

 distinctly stated their method. 



Horak, in a work published 18G9, and entitled Die Teichwirthschaft 

 mit besonderer Riicksicht aufdas siidKche Bbhmen. Fin popular es JETand- 

 hiichfiiv Teichwirthe, Fischcreibedienste und Freunde der Fischziwht, by 

 Wenzel Horak, says: "Fishermen who are not able to determine the 

 sexes of the fish at once are in the habit of squeezing the genital parts 

 until they yield either milt or roe. This method is very injurious to the 

 production of young fish. An experienced pond-culturist will, at the 

 first glance, distnguish a male from a female carp, even when they are 

 only one year old. The milter, or male fish, has a depression or con- 

 cave place in its genital parts, while the spawner, or female fish, has a 

 protuberance or convex place." 



Carl Nicklas, perhaps the most skilled carp-culturist at present living 

 in Germany, indorses the above quotation from Horak, and adds : "The 

 aperture of the genital orifice also seems to be somewhat larger and 

 redder in the female than in the male. It is not very difficult to dis- 

 tinguish the male from the female carp; still, it may require a little 

 practice." Prof. B. Benecke, of Konigsberg, says: "As a general rule 

 the belly of the spawner is broader and rounder ; the genital aperture is 

 larger and reddish and has thick lips, while in the male it forms a 

 narrow slit." 



Apparently without any knowledge of these German authorities, 

 George M. Eamsey, M. D., of Clokey, Pa., writing under date of No- 

 vember 22, 1883, says: "I have discovered how to distinguish the sex 

 of German carp at all seasons of the year. By inspection of the femaie 

 carp a small fleshy protuberance, that pouts a very little, will be seen 

 in front of the vent, whereas in the male carp the same is slightly de- 

 pressed or suuken rather than protuberant. On examination each fish 

 should be held up to the light in the Same position, back downward." 

 Evidently Dr. Eamsey has made an independent discovery of what was 

 already known in Germany. 



Among the most successful of the Americans who have received carp 

 from the United States Fish Commission is Mr. Kemp Gaines, of Spring 

 field, Clarke County, Ohio. He had young fish to sell as early as the 

 summer of 1883, and, seeing the necessity of furnishing applicants with 

 the proper number of males and females, he undertook to see if he could 

 discover any method of distinguishing sexes. November 21 , 1883, he re- 

 ported his observations to the Fish Commission. On examining the 

 carp taken for table use he found a difference in the form of the head 

 and surmised that this might possibly indicate the sex. He put it to 

 test during the summer whenever he dressed fish for use and failed to 

 distinguish the sex but once. 



It would be gratifying if those who have carp would put these methods 

 severely to test and report to the Fish Commission their success or failure. 



United States Fish Commission, 



Washington, D. C, November 18, 1884. 



