GILL ON THE GOURAML 721 



FRANCE. 



The most careful and persevering attempts have been made to iotro- 

 dnoethe gourami into France, and it was the subject of the most zeal- 

 ous eftbrts for a number of years on the part of the Acclimatization So- 

 ciety of Paris. In 1802 and 1807, prizes were offered (for the introduc- 

 tion and acclimatization of a new food-fish into the fresh waters of 

 France, from Algeria, Martinique, or Guadeloupe) of five hundred francs 

 for any tisli except the gourami, and double the amount in case of that 

 species, the competition being open under the last offer until the 1st of 

 December, 1870. From the numerous references in the bulletin of that 

 society, (Bulletin de la Societe Imperiale Zoologique d'Acclimatation,) 

 the following account is drawn up, the authorities therein for the state- 

 ments of facts being inclosed in parentheses. 



As early as 1801, it seems an attempt had been made to introduce the 

 fish into France. In that year the celebrated Perou, on his return from 

 the voyage of circumnavigation in the corvette Le Geographe, stopped 

 at the islan<l of Mauritius, and there took on board a hundred goura- 

 mis, but these all died in the Mozambique Channel, partly in consequence 

 of the bad quality of the water with which the receptacle containing them 

 was renewed and partly on account of the fall in the temperature, (1859, 

 p. 339 ; 1801, pp. 25-20*). 



Nearly at the same time another unsuccessful attempt was made by 

 Bailli de Suttren, (1801, 515,) and he also recommended that it should 

 be attempted by stages, that is, by acclimatizing them in, and then 

 transferring them from, intermediate places. In 1820, another consign- 

 ment of fish was taken on the corvette Le Relief; but notwithstanding 

 the care taken by the commander. Baron Melius, no better luck attended 

 the attempt (1870, 080). 



Not for many years were any further endeavors made to introduce the 

 gourami into France. In 1850, however, the Messieurs Lienard, (father 

 and son,) planters of the island of Mauritius, wrote to the Acclimatiza- 

 tion Society of Paris, announcing their intention to send, when the 

 opportunitity offered, living individuals of •' the fish known under the 

 name of gourami" (1850,201; 1857, xlvi). Hopeful anticipations were 

 entertained that these attempts would, at no distant day, be successful 

 (1800, i). No consignments by the Lienards were made, however, till 

 1801, when a number (50) were confided to the care of Dr. Perrot de 

 Chamarel, who went by the way of Suez to Marseilles, and arrived 

 early in July at the latter city, with only five of the lot (1801, 307, 422, 

 473). These, apparently, were subsequently given to M. Paul Gervais, 

 then of Montpellier, as he, in 1807, recalled that he had received from 

 Dr. Perrot de Chamarel five fishes, the survivors of a lot of twenty- 

 five, with which Dr. Perrot started from Mauritius. These five were 



* See, also, Giuaud, Vie ct travaux de Frangois Feron. 

 S. Mis. 74 46 



