XXI.-REPORT ON THE TRANSPORTATION OF A COLLECTION 

 OF LIVING CARP FROM GERMANY. 



By Dn. O. Fixsch. 



The fish came from the well-known and reliable fish-cultural estab- 

 lishment of Mr. Rudolph Eckhardt, in Luebbinchen, near Guben, prov- 

 ince of Brandenburg, Prussia. There were 100 specimens of the finest 

 kinds of carp, principally mirror-carp (Cyprinus carpio, rex cyprinornm), 

 one and a half years old, and measuring from 6 to 8 inches in length. 



Liibbinchen is about one and a half hour's ride from the railroad sta- 

 tion of Guben, whence the fishes were shipped on the evening of the 21st 

 of April to Hamburg, by an express courier train, which was allowed to 

 carry fish at the same rates paid for passengers' goods. 



I did not get a telegram from Mr. Eckhardt until the 22d of April, 

 and, therefore, had only time to receive the fish at the depot. They had 

 been on the way about eleven hours, and were apparently in excellent con- 

 dition; they were in four coal-oil barrels, each containing 25 fish. Seven 

 fish were found dead in one barrel when they arrived at Hamburg. 



Following the instructions of Mr. Eckhardt, I filled up the barrels with 

 fresh water, pumping it in until the water flowed off quite clear, and 

 appeared entirely free from the least mud or slime ; then the barrels 

 were replenished three-quarters full. 



Owing to the condition of the Elbe, the large transatlantic steamers 

 cannot always reach Hamburg, and are sometimes compelled to anchor 

 near Stade or Gliickstadt ; this was the case on the day of our depart- 

 ure. We started on the 23d of April, at 10 o'clock a. in., in a small 

 steamer, which conveyed the passengers and their goods to the Lessing, 

 of the Hamburg Mail Packet Steam Navigating Company, and em- 

 barked on the Lessing at about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, near Stade. 

 As I had not been advised of the shipment of the fishes from Guben 

 until quite late, I did not have time to purchase a sufficient quantity of ice 

 at Hamburg ; however, I could not very well have taken a greater quantity 

 on board the local steamer, whose carrying capacity was somewhat lim- 

 ited, and was crowded with passengers and their goods. There were 5G0 

 passengers on board. 



I received the following orders from Mr. Eckhardt: "Place the fish, 

 if possible, in the ice-house; if this cannot be done, put ihe barrels on 

 ice covered with sawdust; put two pounds of ice into each barrel 

 once or twice during the day, and keep the temperature at 4 ° or 6° 

 Eeaum. (about 40° or 15° Fahr.); if the fish cannot be placed in the ice- 



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