GILL ON THE GOURAML 727 



in any country where at any time the teiuperatiire descends nearly to 

 the freezing-point. What subtle iufinen(;es have prevented propagation 

 in the West Indies are unknown; the climate, so far as can be judged 

 from thermometrical indications, can scarcely be an obstacle, and the 

 Cause of failure will probably be found in some unknown conditions. 

 Of course, the experience in the case of the countries where attempts 

 to acclimatize have been made equally teaches us that there is no hope 

 for success in attempts to introduce it directly into any of the United 

 States north of Florida or Lower California. And yet it is not utterly 

 impossible that, starting from a tropical country, individuals might 

 gradually be introduced northward ; and while many would sue. 

 comb to the cooler climate, (which, perhaps, would only be too cool once 

 in a cycle of 3'ears,) a few would survive, and the descendants of such — 

 themselves weeded out little by little — eventually leave a stronger race, 

 which might in time be domiciliated in temperate climates. It may be, 

 indeed, that (as in very many species of animals) there is already a dif- 

 ference in the susceptibility to cold of the several races of the gourami 

 now acclimated in different countries, and that, in an Indian race, we 

 have a more hardy form ; such, at least, would seem to be the case if the 

 fish referred to by M. Tnrrel was really the gourami; and, if it is so, that 

 race would be the most suitable to experiment with. It must be remem- 

 bered, however, that even M. TurreVs fishes were not claimed to have 

 been subjected to a temperature lower than 39° Fahrenheit ; and con- 

 sequently the results of his experience (admitting that the fishes were 

 gouramis) do not militate against the inferences here enunciated. None 

 of the present generation could reasonably effect acclimatization of the 

 species in northern waters; but, if any individual has no regard for a 

 return for money expended, enthusiasm might be gratified by commenc- 

 ing with importation of specimens into our southern waters. 



For the benefit of such, we refer to the articles teaching how to trans- 

 port them,* and close with briefs of their instructions, and extracts from 

 them by M. Coste. 



C— RULES FOR TRANSPORTATION AND INTRODUCTION. 



As to the introduction, it would, probably, be more readily effected 

 by the transportation of nests with the ova than that by the fishes 

 themselves; and such a course would, at least, require less care and 

 attention, and would have the additional advantage of furnishing so 

 many more individuals to select from. If, for any reasons, it is pre- 

 ferred to experiment with the young, the smallest should be chosen, 

 aud they should be placed in wooden or earthen ware vessels : the latter 

 would be preferable, and those having a capacity of from ten to fifteen 

 gallons would, perhaps, be best; but tubs or casks when perfectly clean 



* Coste. Instruction j)our le transport des gouramis. <^Ba\\. Soc. Imp. Zool. d'Aculiiu., 

 1865, pp. 76-80. 

 Dabry (P. Thiersant). Note sur le transport des gouramis. < Op. cit., 1868, pp. 591-592. 



