BULLETIN OF THE KNITi D STATES FISH COMMISSION. 257 



Vol. V, No. 17. WsiKhiBBg-lon, I>. €. Aug. 18, 1885. 



70.-REPOKT ON PLANTING CANADIAN OYSTERS NEAR THE ESJbANR 

 OI< AAROE, IN Till: LITTLE BELT, NOVENBEK G, 1884.* 



By Prof. KAKIi MOBIUS. 



On the 17th of April, 1S83, at a public meeting of the German Fish- 

 ery Association, I road a paper on the transplanting of oysters, which 

 induced the board of directors to order some American oysters from the 

 northernmost points where they are found; and, if possible, they were 

 to be from beds situated in the mouths of rivers, where the oysters had 

 been accustomed to water of less saltness than on the coasts of the open 

 sea. Instruments for testing the saltness ot these waters were, during 

 the summer of 1883, sent to the Canadian Government by G. von Bun- 

 sen, of Kiel, second director of the association. Various reports on the 

 physical conditions under which the Canadian oysters live were re- 

 ceived from Canadian officials, and further aid was promised, so that we 

 could hope, through the assistance of Canadian fishery officials, to obtain 

 the desired kind of oysters for our important experiment. 



About this time Carl Eumpff, member of the chamber of deputies of 

 the Prussian Parliament, was informed of the plans of the Fishery Asso- 

 ciation, and offered to use his knowledge of North America, and his 

 American business connections in furthering these plans. In reply to 

 inquiries, persons who possessed a thorough knowledge of the Canadian 

 oyster fisheries suggested that the oysters be sent to Europe not in 

 spring, but late in autumn, when an evenly cool temperature might be 

 looked for. We therefore looked for their arrival in October or Novem- 

 ber, 1884. We were notified of their shipment by telegram, and on No- 

 vember 3, 17 barrels of oysters arrived at Bremerhaven by the Bremen 

 steamer Werra. Mr. Eumpff was there in person to receive them, and 

 on November 5 brought them to Hadersleben, by way of Hamburg. 



As Mr. Eumpff had advised me by telegram that he had started with 

 the oysters, I met him at Neumiinster at 4 p. m. on November 5. At 

 7 p. m. we passed Flensburg, where we were joined by Mr. Hinkelmann, 

 superintendent of fisheries of the district in which the oysters were to 

 be planted. At 10 p. m. we reached Hadersleben, where we were met 

 by A. Jensen, who was to forward the oysters to their destination. 

 By the kind assistance of railway and custom-house officials he suc- 

 ceeded in transferring the 17 barrels of oysters, by 8 a. m. of No 

 vember G, to the steamer for Aaroesund, where we soon joined him. 



* " Bericht uber die Anslegung kanadisclier Austern bet der Inset Aaro, im Kleinen Belt, 

 am 6. November 1884." from Circular No. 8, 1884, of the German Fisherj Association, 

 Berlin, December 2, 1884. Translated from the German by Herman J K30BSON. 

 Bull. U. S. F. C, S5 17 



