8U<> REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FiSH AND FISHERIES. 



I observed jibove that this fish is found in great numbers in most of 

 the European rivers, particularly in the Rhine. Although this river has 

 a very swift current, which at times forms rapids, here neither mud nor 

 suitable ground is to be found which would qualify these localities for 

 feediug- places for the rather indolent carp; still, there are numbers of 

 shallows and small creeks, the borders of which are richly overgrown 

 with grass and Festuca Jluitans, where the fishes find food plentiful and 

 multiply. 



The river-carp is not as fleshy as the pond-carp ; this is accounted for 

 by the great amount of bodily exercise which it is naturally compelled 

 to take. In many places it is more highly appreciated than the pond- 

 €arp, probably because the river-water does not impart to it the moldy 

 taste which is sometimes found with the carp inhabiting ponds situated 

 in marshy localities and morasses which have not a sufficient supply ot 

 fresh water. 



The assertion in regard to the preference given to the river-carp will 

 be found to be correct, especially in regard to the rivers Rhine, Elbe, 

 Weser, Vistula, Loire, Rhone, Garonne, and the Danube. The latter is 

 <;elebrated in song as the beautiful, blue Danube; in reality its water 

 has, during the greater part of the year, a grayish- white, muddy color, 

 and a very swift current. It has, however, particularly in Austria, 

 Hungary, and the lowlands in general, which border upon it, numerous 

 branches which creep along sluggishly, and also many small creeks with 

 almost stagnant water. 



A great number of fishes of prey inhabit this river: the pike, perch, 

 the rapacious Hucho {Salmo hucho), and, above all, the never satisfied 

 Wels {Silurus glanis), which, in the lower Danube, reaches a weight of 

 500 pounds. Its habits being similar to those of the carp it lies on the 

 mud-banks or feeding-places of this fish and becomes its most dangerous 

 enemy and insatiable destroyer, and still the carp increases in the Dan- 

 ube. From the city of Ulm, where this river begins to be navigable, after 

 its escape from the Black Forest, a thousand miles downward to its mouth 

 on the Black Sea, as also in this one, the carp is found. To this fact 

 allusion has been made on a former occasion. The carp thrives best in 

 those parts of the Danube where the water is least clear, at the influx 

 of the muddy water of its tributaries. At one time I was present at a 

 draught of a seine which took place close to the quay of the city of 

 Pesth, in Hungary, and was arranged by Mr, Szihelsky Ferentz. At 

 that point the river is constantly plowed by steamers, steam-tugs, caual 

 and ferry boats, and it would have seemed that there could not be many 

 fishes there, yet 300 fine carp, weighing from 1 to 5 pounds each, were 

 taken in one draught of the net, within the distance of about one-quarter 

 of an English mile. The carp is partial to this locality because it finds 

 abundant food there in the ofifal from kitchens, slaughter-houses, brew- 

 eries, and the sewers of both the cities of Ofen and Pesth. In the Eu- 

 ropean lakes, for instance in the lakes of Constance, Zurich, and Geneva, 

 the carp comes sometimes from these into the ports to seek for food. 



