862 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



arrangements for the journey were i)erfectecl. On Thursday, the 7th of 

 June, at 4.40 p. m., we were to leave Mannheim by the through-train, 

 and I was to come to Seckenheim at about 11 a. m. with a carriage, place 

 the fish in my two vessels, and fill a third one with ice. 



On Wednesday, the Gth of June, I paid a visit to Mr. A. Pagenstecher, 

 professor of zoology at the University of Heidelberg, to ask him to ex- 

 amine some "maifische" eggs which I considered unripe or spoiled. He 

 very cheerfully promised his co-operation, and said that if he could pur- 

 sue his observations for several years, he felt convinced he would find 

 the causes of this and explain it scientifically ; he was, moreover, in- 

 clined to favor the establishment of artificial hatching- places, and showed 

 me a large salt-water aquarium, which, however, contained no animals. 

 He has, unfortunately, no Neckar water for the " maifische," and this is 

 absolutely required; for in the hard well or brook water, with a low 

 temperature, they cannot be hatched. 



On Thursday, the 7th of June, I started on my journey, going first to 

 Seckenheim in a hack ; here Mr. Miiller placed the young "maifische" 

 in two vessels, and filled a third one with ice. The road from the river 

 to the Mannheim turnpike was a little rough, but we got over it safely 

 and soon reached Mannheim. Here we unfortunately made a mistake 

 and got in the train which only goes as far as Frankfort-ou-the-Main ; 

 in this city we had therefore to transfer our fish to another depot, and 

 then traveled uninterruptedly to Corbetha; here we had to change cars 

 again, as the train on which we had come went through to Halle and 

 Berlin, while we wanted to go to Dresden. 



In Dresden we were met at the depot by Privy Counselor Koch, by 

 Mr. Friedrich, and ]Mr. Klenim, superintendents of fisheries, who received 

 the fish. Mr. Miiller had time to place them in the river, while I was 

 kept busy transferring the other vessel to the Guben depot, which took 

 about half an hour. The remaining half hour I spent with the above- 

 mentioned gentlemen in the depot restaurant, where I showed them 

 some young " maifische," which I carried with me in a bottle ; these fish, 

 however, are so transparent and small, that they can only be seen after 

 the eye has become a little practiced. Through Mr. Koch I also sent a 

 live specimen to his excellency the minister. At 9.30 a. m. we left 

 Dresden, the thermometer being 25° E. (88o. 25 F.) in the shade, and ar- 

 rived in Guben at 1.40 p. m., where we were met at the depot by Mayor 

 Kiimpffe, several members of the city council. Count Reventlow, gov- 

 ernor of the district, and many landed proprietors, all desirous of being 

 sponsors on the occasion of these young German natives of the Khine 

 and Iseckar being baptized with Keisse water. 



The few young " maifische" which I had with me in a glass were still 

 in good condition, although the temperature of the water was 23° E. 

 (83°. 75 F.) but they died before we reached Liibbiuchen during the long 

 journey in the hot sun performed in an open carriage. 



I have still to make the following general remarks : On the 23d of 



