510 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



lavarets bred and raised in the establishment and completely acclima- 

 tized in a locality midways between the basin of the Ladoga (the home 

 of these species) and that of the Volga ; so that these fish in being 

 transported to the latter do not undergo any material change of natural 

 influences. 



Among the species of the sturgeon kind it is principally the sterlet 

 (Acipenser ruthenus, L.) whose artificial breeding has long since attracted 

 the attention of Eussian and foreign pisciculturists. The attempts at 

 artificial fecundation of this valuable species made in Eussia in 1869 led 

 to excellent results, and during the course of the year 1870 the ministry 

 of domains was able, at tbe request of the British government, to send 

 several thousand sterlet-eggs to Scotland ; these eggs arrived safely at 

 their destination, packed in tinned copper vessels, and were placed in 

 the rivers of that country. 



Since 1870 the piscicultural establishment of Nikolsky has made ex- 

 periments in multiplying sterlets in lakes and ponds. The former experi- 

 ments in multiplying these fish by letting grown fish loose had always 

 failed. The fish lived, grew, but they did not increase ; which circum- 

 stance induced the erroneous opinion that it is absolutely imj)ossible to 

 multiply sterlets in ponds and lakes. The cause of this failure not 

 having as yet been studied exactly, the belief may be allowed that this 

 opinion does not rest on a solid basis. Of all piscicultural establish- 

 ments, that of Nikolsky, being in Eussia, the home of the sterlet, has 

 the exclusive opportunity of studying and of solving definitely the prob- 

 lem of multiplying this fish in lakes and ponds; the exi)eriments which 

 have been commenced for this purpose are still going on and will be 

 continued till definite results have been obtained. 



In 1871 the establishment of Nikolsky commenced to sell fecun- 

 dated spawn and hatched fish with the view of giving private indi- 

 viduals an opportunity of introducing valuable species at a moderate price, 

 into their own waters. The spawn is delivered by the establishment in 

 that stage of development when the eyes can be discerned through the 

 skin. From the time that the establishment has advertised the sale of 

 spawn and of hatched fish, it has received orders from different parts of 

 the empire amounting to several tens of thousands of eggs, as well as 

 of hatched fish of the trout, the salmon, and the lavaret, delivered at a 

 fixed price ; besides this, about 2,000 eggs are sent gratis every day to 

 the Academy of Forestry and Agriculture at Petrovsky, near Moscow. 

 Spawn is sent to the most remote provinces of the enipire, for instance, 

 to the province of Stavropol, without undergoing the slightest change. 

 It is remarkable that the spaw^n sent to the Academy of Petrovsky 

 when the cold was severe, froze during the journey in spite of its being 

 covered, and thawed in cold water on its arrival at Moscow, has not 

 suffered in the least, and that of 2,000 eggs only ten were not hatched. 

 Si)awn is transported partly as merchandise by express train, and partly, 

 under the authority of the minister of the interior in the mail cars. 



