EXPERIMENTS IN PROPAGATING MAIFISCHE. 863 



April of this year the fishermen of Seckenheim have commenced to fish for 

 " maifische." Tlie first were caught on the 28th of April, and the largest 

 number on the 10th, 11th, and 12th of May, none of them, however, ready 

 for spawning. About as many fish were caught as in 1875, but only 

 one-third as many as in 1870, in which year the "maifische" in this dis- 

 trict were ready for spawning between the 23d and 29th of May, and have 

 spawned very freely in the Neckar. 



From tne mass of information gained this year the following points 

 may deserve special consideration for the future: 



Along the Neckar there are three fishing districts which are suitable 

 for obtaining artificially impregnated eggs of " maifische :" 



1. The district of Seckenheim where the first and the largest quantity 

 of eggs may be obtained during spring if the temperature is not too 

 cold. The sixteen members of the fishing association presided over by 

 Mr. Johann Eaufelder have all the necessary apparatus, and talie a deep 

 interest in the matter. In this district, therefore, the first spawning 

 " maifische" are found, because it is tolerably warm and possesses great 

 advantages for fishing with a seine. 



2. The district of the Bergheim Mill, extending past Heidelberg as far 

 as Ziegelhausen. Here fishing is carried on by the various fishermen 

 living along the river; in favorable years manj spawning " maifische" 

 are caught near the Bergheim Mill and near Ziegelhausen. 



3. The district of Neckarsteinach and Neckarhausen, extending up 

 the river as far as Hirschhorn. This district is colder and has much 

 rocky bottom, and the fish consequently spawn somewhat later in the 

 season. There is here a fishing association of twelve members, presided 

 over by Mr. Peter Kohrmann in Heidelberg. This year the largest 

 number of " maifische" were caught in this district, but their eggs were 

 not at all developed and many were spoiled. 



During a favorable year artificially impregnated eggs may, therefore, 

 be obtained in Seckenheim early in the season, a little later in Heidel- 

 berg, and still later in Neckarhausen. 



As soon as the Ehine rises to its high-water mark in spring, many 

 " maifische" come into the Neckar, because they cannot be caught in the 

 Ehine; the same is the case in the Neckar in the three above-mentioned 

 districts which lie one above the other. 



For hatching the " maifische" eggs in the Neckar the American float- 

 ing hatching-boxes are well suited; but as the current cannot well be 

 regulated, a simple wooden screw is fastened in the front part of the 

 floating frame, by means of which the box may be placed higher or 

 lower according to the different currents. 



As soon as the eggs have been hatched, i. e., after five days, they must 

 be placed in well-protected boxes covered with the finest kind of gauze, 

 or better still with a firm glass bottom and gauze-covered openings on 

 both sides which permit the water to flow through. 



Such an apparatus may be furnished by having three smfill boats con- 



