112 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



tinent by preparing it with piquant sauces and spicing somewhat on 

 the same plan that the sweet flavor of the rabbit is neutralized in the 

 better class of preparations made of that animal's meat." 



Carp in England 300 years ago.— In a description of the Thames 

 River published in 1577, Holinshed spoke of carp as not " long since 

 brought over into England." John Taverner referred to carp in his 

 " Certain Experiments Concerning Fish and Fruit," printed in 1600. Ger- 

 van Markham freely spoke of it in his "Art of Angling," published in 

 1613. In 1532 entries appeared in the royal accounts of rewards to 

 persons to bring carp to the King. 



Fish at Central Station. — Under date of December 16, 18S4, Mr. 

 J. E. Brown reports: "There are at Central Station, this date, 215,000 

 small leather carp, 500 small scale carp, 400 blue carp, 600 tench, and 

 175 yearling leather carp. The whitefish delivered here by car No. 3 

 ore in fine condition and I think will winter nicely. There are fourteen 

 of last year's crop, and one two-year old and four large ones that would 

 weigh 4 or 5 pounds each. All the above fish are in splendid order." 



Destruction of young fish by larvae of dragon-flies. — In 

 the Hungarian Rovartani Lapok for December last, L. Bir6 states 

 that the larvae of some Libellula (species not determined) have made 

 such ravages in the piscicultural establishment of Count Pulffy at Szo- 

 molauy that in a pond in which 50,000 young fish were placed in the 

 spring of 1884, only 54 could be found the following September, but 

 there was a large quantity of the larvae of the Libellula referred to. 



Fish eaten by muskrats. — Mr. A. A. Mosher, writing from Spirit 

 Lake, Iowa, under date of April 27, 1885, says : "A muskrat got into a 

 large box containing water 1 foot deep where there were minnows from 

 2 to 4 inches long. He caught a number and ate all but the heads, which 

 we found lying on the bottom." 



Use of giant kelp stems by the Indians. — Mr. James G. Swan, 

 writing, under date of February 14, 1885, from Port Townsend, Wash., 

 says : " I was fortunate yesterday in seeing some Fort Rupert Indians 

 who live at the northeast part of Vancouver Island, near Nawitti. The 

 Fort Rupert band of Nimpkisk Indians make great use of the giant kelp 

 stems (Nercocystis). Their method is to first peel off the outer cuticle of 

 I li<- kelp, thru place it over a slow fire, and as it dries the salt exudes 

 and tonus a crust. This is rubbed off and the kelp stem blown up full 

 of wind, and again hung up to dry for a brief period. It is then again 

 rubbed and blown full of air. This process is repeated until the kelp 

 is of a leathery consistenee, and it is then used to hold dogfish oil and is 

 equal to an India-rubber tube. The Indians I referred to have promised 

 to prepare me a quantity, which, when received, I will forward to you. 

 1 w ill also have a barrel filled with the green kelp, leaves and all, and 

 fill the barrel with strong pickle. This will give an opportunity of test. 

 ing the vegetable in its green and prepared state." 



