LVI EEPOKT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



California salmon has been made under tlie auspicies of the United 

 States Fish Commission. 



The German carp, one of the latest species that has occupied the at- 

 tention of the United States Commission, is one of the most important. 

 There are many varieties, three in particular being best known. Of 

 these, one is covered with large scales, something as in the goldfish ; 

 another has lost all the scales, except along the lateral line, while the 

 third is entirely destitute of scales. These are known respectively as 

 the scale, mirror, and leather carp. 



The carp has been domesticated in Europe from time immemorial, and 

 represents among the finny tribe the place occnpied by poultry among 

 birds. It is a fish adapted to the farmers' ponds and to mill-dams, less 

 so to clear gravelly rivers with a strong ciu'rent. Where there is quiet 

 water with a muddy bottom and abundant vegetation, there is the home 

 for the carp ; there it will grow with great rapidity, sometimes attaining 

 a weight of three to four pounds in as many years. It is a vegetable- 

 feeder and not dependent upon man for its sustenance. As an article of 

 food the better varieties rank in Europe with the trout, and bring the 

 same price per pound. 



I have already referred to the use of the Seth Green floating box for 

 the hatching out of shad. I now call attention to the very important 

 improvement, in greater part the invention of Mr. Ferguson, fish com- 

 missioner of Maryland, by which the floating box has been superseded 

 by a new apparatus worked by steam, in which a thousand shad can be 

 produced with the same facility as a single one by the old method. 



As the result of the first year's experiments with the new apparatus, 

 in 1878, of the United States Fish Commission, 16,000,000 shad were 

 hatched out, and in large part deposited in streams all over the country 

 by the Commission's messengers. 



During the past winter of 1878-'79, the United States Fish Commission 

 has, however, made a step far in advance of its previous efforts, and of 

 the most novel and striking character. While the establishment and in- 

 crease of the fresh-water fisheries has been of the utmost imi^ortance, 

 especially those of the anadromous species, the Commission has of late 

 been considering the i^ossibility of artificially multipl;ying the marine 

 species, confident that by this measure a vastly greater sphere of use- 

 fulness will be entered upon. The first experiments have been made 

 with the cod, a fish which is the staple of American marine industry, 

 and which involves the investment of a large Sum of money and the 

 labor of many thousands of men. This visits the coast of i^ew England 

 in the winter for the purpose of spawning ; Cape Ann, Mass., being an 

 especially favorite ground for the purpose. 



A temporary establishment was fitted up in the autumn of 1878, in 

 Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts, for the purpose of a series of prelimin- 

 ary experiments looking towards the artificial iDropagation of the cod, 

 commencing in November. During these trials many difficulties were 



