518 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



iirranged at certain intervals, and deep and well-sliaded holes serve as 

 a place of refuge to large numbers of fish of everj^ <^ge. 



.The results obtained by M. de Loes are very remarkable; and this 

 learned pisciculturist has not yet said his last word in the matter. 



From time to time piscicultural meetings are held in the cauton, in 

 order to make known all the secrets of this new science,- which is des- 

 tined to be of the greatest importance for Switzerland. We must con- 

 fess wo would like to see this.practice introduced in France. 



Numeroussocieties have been formed, especially at Fribourg, through 

 the exertion of M. de Boccard, and in the neighborhood of Aigle, of 

 which I w411 speak in another place. 



3.— Italy. 



The necessity for replenishing rivers has not.yiet been felt in Italy. as 

 much as in other countries of Europe, This" country, on account of its 

 geographical position, offers exceptionally fine opportunities for fishing, 

 and the seas wliich surround it o]i nearly all sides supply all the wants, 

 of its population. As in Switzerland, so there are also in Italy, many 

 lakes containing various kinds of excellent fresh water, but Switzerland 

 has no sea-fisliiug, possessing only its lakes, which would soon be ex- 

 hausted if they were not constantly bein.g' replenished. 



The rivers and brooks of Italy are, with ifbw exceptions, dry during a 

 great part of the year. Those water-courses which never dry up entirely 

 experience such a large increase of water at the time wheii the snow 

 melts, that it would be useless and even imprudent to found piscicultural 

 establishments. 



They do to-day what they have done for centuries. At Venice as at 

 Naples, nothing'is changed, iit Commachio the same plan is followed 

 as that which has been s'o well described by M. Coste. In the cities of 

 the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, Ancona, Beri, Brindisi, Givita-. 

 Vecchia, Leghorn, Genoa, &c., the resources of the sea are inexhaust- 

 ible. But it is none the less tru6 that the persons who are at the head 

 of the administration fully understand the necessity of revising the fish-' 

 ing laws, and a project for doing this will. soon be laid before the Italian 

 Parliament. 



In Italy also the laws have become insufficient for i)rotecting the fish- 

 eries ; and waste, the use of hurtful fishing instruments, and the conse- 

 quent destruction W fish, have made protective measures necessary. 

 There is only one step from this to understand the necessity of replen- 

 ishing those rivers Mhich offer favorable conditions for so doing; and 

 sooner or later the government will be obliged to interfere in the mat- 

 ter. 



4. — Austria. 



Artificial pisciculture has only been introduced -into Austria during 

 the last eight years. The imperial government has taken the initiatory 

 stepjj by founding on its domains hatching-establishments from which 



