BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 237 



FIVE AMERICAN * A I..TIO.M l».E IIV GERMANY. 



BY IIERR VOX BEIIR. 



[From Circular No. 8, 1882, of the German Fishery Association, Berlin, December 2, 



1882.*] 



Since it became my honorable and highly appreciated duty, seven 

 years ago, to attend to the current business of the German Fishery As- 

 sociation, I have given my undivided attention to the question of bene- 

 fiting our waters by introducing valuable fish from abroad. It was 

 evident from the very beginning that this would have to be done cau- 

 tiously. Fish-of prey — if I may use this expression — were, at least in 

 North Germany, found in sufficient number, and there was therefore no 

 necessity for introducing such as the Salmo liucho. Such a foreigner 

 might spread too easily and rapidly, and injure those fish which we prize 

 highly. My endeavors to introduce foreign fish have frequently been 

 criticised. Shall I simply pass these attacks in silence ? I prefer to 

 give, in brief outline, the causes of my endeavors and the thoughts 

 which have guided me. 



The principal consideration has been the great benefit which has ac- 

 crued to our country from the introduction of other foreign animals and 

 plants. I simply refer to the two well-known books, "K. W. Volz, 

 Beitrag zur Eulturpesckichte v (contributions to the history of culture), 

 and " V. Helm, Kulturpflanzen unci Hausthiere, &c. v (cultivated plants 

 and domestic animals, &c). Both these works report a long series 

 of highly valuable plants and animals introduced into Germany from 

 foreign countries, and when reviewing the material gathered in these 

 two works, it may well be said that the majority of our cultivated plants 

 and domestic animals have been introduced from foreign countries, 

 either by ourselves or by our ancestors. This process of introducing 

 foreign plants and animals was much slower and more difficult in olden 

 times than now, when, thanks to steam and electricity, time and space 

 offer no obstacles. 



Let us briefly enumerate a few of these introductions. 



Our present improved breed of horses is said to have come originally 

 from the Kirgise steppes and the vast pasture lands of Central Asia; 

 the history of the introduction of the merino sheep is well known ; the 

 goat comes from Asia ; the chickens from India ; the turkey has been 

 introduced from America at no very distant time, for in 15G1 a member 

 flf the wealthy family of Fugger for the first time had a roast turkey 

 grace his festive board ; the pheasant is said to come from Mingrelia, 

 and the rabbit from Spain. And can it be said that Germany has any 



* "Flint' Amerikanische Salmoniden in Deutschland." Translated from the German 

 by Herman Jacobsox. 



