[57] FISH CULTURE IN CENTRAL EUROPE. 595 



the apparatus for any length of time of one dead bodj r may cause the 

 death of thousands of healthy eggs or young fry. To obviate this diffi- 

 culty, the water should never cease to run into the apparatus freely. 

 Whenever the fish begin to be less lively than usual and there is reason 

 to suspect the development of the much-dreaded fungus (Saprolegnia), 

 endeavors should be made to prevent its spread by throwing a large 

 quantity of salt into the water. In some cases excellent results have 

 been obtained by raising fresh-water fish in sea water. When the 

 young fish are intended for public waters it is best to place them there 

 some days before they have lost their umbilical sac, so they may become 

 somewhat accustomed to their new element before they are compelled 

 to seek their food. They should not all be put into the water at the 

 same time and at one and the same place, but be scattered over a larger 

 surface of water, selecting localities which contain the conditions 

 favorable to their existence. Instead of quite young fish it would be 

 preferable to put into open water fish about one year old, which are 

 stronger and are not exposed to so many dangers. If the young fish 

 are to be fed artificially the first food should consist of brains chopped 

 very fine 5 afterwards they may be given meat chopped fine, fish eggs 

 which have not been fecundated, ground meat (meat flour), and larvte 

 of flies. When they are two to three years old fish begin to be capable 

 of propagation. 



Fecundated eggs may be transported without any danger at two peri- 

 ods, immediately after fecundation and after the points of the eyes begin 

 to show in the embryo, while during the first stage of the development 

 even the least shock may cause the death of the embryo. The eggs are 

 wrapped in a small piece of moist muslin and placed on a bed of moist- 

 ened wadding, which in its turn rests on a bed of moss. They are cov- 

 ered with a similar layer of wadding and moss, on which another layer 

 of eggs may be placed. In this way they can be shipped a considera- 

 ble distance, placing on the top of the whole pile a small piece of ice, 

 which serves to keep the temperature low, and which should be renewed 

 from time to time. The box containing the eggs is placed inside anoth- 

 er larger one, and the space between the two boxes is filled with saw- 

 dust, hay, &c. 



The American fish-culturist, Fred Mather, has invented an apparatus, 

 a sort of chest with different bottoms, which is used for transporting 

 the eggs which the German Fishery Association receives every year 

 from the U. S. Fish Commission. The first attempts to convey eggs 

 such a distance were not successful, but at present they are shipped 

 with perfect safety. 



It is much more difficult to transport young fish, owing to the neces- 

 sity of having the water aerated. For this purpose Schuster and others 

 have constructed vessels to which air-pumps are attached, but accord- 

 ing to Haaek and others, these are not absolutely necessary ; if great 

 precaution is taken, and the water is changed as often as possible, using 



