646 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [2] 

 FOOD OF THE YOUNG FISH. 



Owing to the scarcity of meat in this country, and the expense of get- 

 ting it to the fishing establishments, I have been unable to feed fish on 

 chopped livers and lungs, &c. ; but I have found, after due trial, that a 

 mixture of the chrysalides of silk- worms and wheat flour is a very good 

 substitute, on which the fish do well. The chrysalides are ground up in 

 a coffee-mill, mixed with an equal weight of wheat flour, which mixture 

 is boiled for fifteen minutes and then allowed to cool. After this it is 

 pressed through a wire sieve so as to assume the shape and size of finely- 

 chopped meat, and is then ready for use. I have now used this food for 

 three years and found that the fish thrive upon it ; it is much cheaper 

 and far more easily obtained in Japan than meat. Analyses of the 

 chrysalides of two kinds of silk- worm and of the mixture of wheat flour 

 and powdered chrysalis have been made by Professor Edward Kinch, of 

 the Imperial College of Agriculture, Koinaba, Tokio, with the following 

 results : 



1. Chrysalis of common silk- worm {Bonibyx mori). 



2. Chrysalis of mountain silk-worm (Bombyx yama-mai). 



3. Mixture of wheat flour and powdered chrysalis. 



Percentage composition. 



(1) (2) (3) 



Water 10.99 9.28 12.23 



Ash s 3.24 2.54 3.30 



Oil 14.83 23.57 7. 10 



Albuminoids 47.28 49.75 25.25 



Non-nitrogenous substances 23.26 14.8(3 52.00 



100. 00 100. 00 100. 00 



It will be seen that the proximate composition does not differ so greatly 

 from that of meat. It contains a large percentage of nitrogenous mat- 

 ters, and a good deal of fat or oil. 



THE FISHERY OF TANEGAWA (SPAWNING RIVER), MIOMOTEGAWA, 



ECHIGO, JAPAN. 



The Miomotegawa (kawa or gawa means river) has its source in • 

 Mount Mioinote, in the northeastern part of the province Echigo, and 

 thence flowing westward, past Iwafune-gori and Murakami (formerly the 

 castle-town of the Daimio Naito, finally empties into the sea. The 

 length of the river is over 10 ri or 21.4 mdes ; it is shallow, with a rapid 

 current and clear, and for 10 or 12 miles up from its mouth the bottom 

 is covered with fine gravel. The fish found in this river are Salmo perryi, 



♦Containing— " (1) (2) 



Silica 2.12 .83 



Lime .'. 4.19 1.29 



Phosphoric acid <38.50 34.30 



Potash 17.87 17.88 



