864 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES 



uected iu frout and beliiud by stroug ropes, and perliaps surrounded by 

 a light frame- work of floating timber ; between every two boats there is 

 a frame holding two rows of the boxes mentioned above, placed at such 

 a distance that they can easily be reached from the boats. 



The large outer frame-work must iu front and behind be protected by 

 boards connected at an angle, so that the boxes are sate from strong cur- 

 reuts and waves, wind-storms, and floating objects, such as scum, dirt, 

 wood, grass, &c. On the outside the floating apparatus for hatching 

 may still be fastened for four or five days. 



Boats for this purpose may be rented iu Mannheim for 23-cents a day j 

 the floating timber and all the necessary wood-work can be furnished by 

 a carpenter in Seckenheim, and nothing would remain to be done but 

 to prepare the stationary hatching-boxes, in which the young "■ mai- 

 fische" immediately after having left the eggs, and in fact the eggs them- 

 selves before they are hatched, are perfectly safe. This apparatus, 

 which is absolutely necessary, which facilitates the whole process very 

 much, and which is a strong protection for the eggs and young fish, may, 

 after the " maifische" season has come to an end, also be used for hatch- 

 ing other Neckar-fish, as the perch, the pollard and others, which are 

 hatched in 3 to 4 days, lose their umbilical bag in 4 more days, and may 

 then be placed in any river. Such an apparatus, or several of them, 

 which can easily be taken to pieces and stored away, should be found in 

 every fishing district 5 this would be the best way of increasing the num- 

 ber of river fish, and the result'would be seen in two or three years. The 

 leading principle for the healthy development and increase of the river 

 fish must, however, invariably be found in the catching of the fish during 

 the spawning season, and in the artificial impregnation of all the eggs 

 that can be obtained ; in this way the eggs are saved from the numerous 

 fish of prey which devour them and inflict incalculable damage to the 

 fishing interests during the spawning season. 



The young fish can easily be transported in any tin cans. We had to 

 change cars quite a number of times during our journey, and the fish 

 stood these changes very well, so that about 70,000 young " maifische" 

 could be placed in the Elbe and as many iu the Neisse. The best tem- 

 perature for transporting '' maifische " is 120-15^ + Eeaumur, which can 

 easily be furnished by placing ice in the neck of the tin can ; air is not 

 required during so short a journey. 



In future it will be best to place the " maifische " destined for the 

 Elbe in the Saale near Halle, where the through train from the south 

 arrives at 4.28 a. m. The fish destined for the Neisse would leave Halle 

 for Guben at 8.5 a. m. by express train. If, therefore, the fish leave 

 Mannheim at 4.40 p. m. they need not change cars till they reach Halle, 

 so that the whole journey may be accomplished without anj' difiBculty. 



If the number of fish sent should amount to several million, a special 

 baggage-car might be engaged at Mannheim. 



