31 



pacity to live for a time almost witlioiit water. The open- 

 ings between the gills are very much greater in the above 

 mentioned families, whereas in tlie Carps tliey are ])artially 

 closed by a membrane, whicli, by retaining moisture, keeps 

 the gills longer in a condition to abstract oxygen from tlie 

 air, and enables them to live mucb longer out of water. 



Unfortunately for our enterprise the weather was intensely 

 hot in Europe during Mr. Hessel's journey to the coast 

 through Germany, and during his passage across the Atlan- 

 tic. He lost all but twenty-five, of some three hundred and 

 seventy-five which he started with, before reaching New 

 York, and those were in such bad condition, tliat two more; 

 died before they could be transfer]-ed from the tanks in wliich 

 they made the journey to the milk cans provided for their 

 transportation from New York to Baltimore. He reached 

 the carp ponds in Druid Hill Park, with three common Carp, 

 (Cyprinus Carpio,) one of that variety which is destitute of 

 scales, (Specularis,) and is so highly ju'izcd. Twelve Tench. 

 (Cyprinus Tinea,) and seven golden Tench, (Tinea Auratus,) 

 the latter are prized highly as food, attaining rapidly a 

 weight of twelve or fifteen pounds. They are also very or- 

 namental, being of a rich golden colour. We regret that of 

 this importation, only six Tench and two golden Tench sur- 

 vive, these are male and female, and we hope that we will 

 receive some increase from tliem next spring. 



Professor Baird, having sent one of Mr. Milner's assis- 

 tants, Mr. WeLsher, with a lot of shad eggs Avhich were in- 

 tended for the German Government, instructed him to repeat 

 the attempt of transporting the carp, etc., to America on his 

 return. The breeding season having arrived, the owners of 

 ponds in Germany would not permit the fish to be disturl)ed, 

 so Mr. Welsher was not able to i)rocure a very full assort- 

 ment, but transported successfully and delivered to your 

 Commissioner in New York, fifty carp, variety Carassius 

 (jibelio or Prussian carp, and forty-seven Orfus (Idus Melano- 

 tus) which is a beautiful golden fish, surpassing the common 

 gold fish in colour and form. A brilliant red colour covers 

 the upper portion of the body, and the belly portion is white, 

 it is much more active, lively and graceful in its movements^ 

 and attains a much greater size. 



