49 



CARP. 



During the year we have, with the consent and assistance 

 of the Park Commissioners of Diuid Hill Park, added 

 another large pond to those devoted to the breeding of the 

 European Carp. 



We now have in Druid Hill Park, besides the three small 

 nursery or breeding ponds, two large ponds, which have a 

 depth of water from ten to twelve feet ; in the^e are kept the 

 adult fish. 



We have met with remarkabe success during the year, and 

 from the small stock of fish brought over by Mr. Hessel and 

 by Mr. Welsher,. have increased the number very materially. 



' Daring the mouth of September Professor Baii'd sent Mr. 

 Rudolph Hessel to Europe, for the purpose of collecting and 

 bringing over the best varieties of European Carp. On his 

 arrival in Hungary he found it impossible to get the fish 

 breeders to draw their ponds, on account of the then exceed- 

 ingly warm weather, but on the approach of Winter he was 

 enabled to secure an assortment of the most valuable vari- 

 eties. 



He sailed from Bremen in the steamship "Leipzig," on the 

 twenty-ninth day of November, with his live fish cargo, but 

 the steamer being baffled by adverse winds, and having an 

 exceedingly rough passage, did not reach Baltimore until 

 the morning of the twenty- second of Decem.ber Of the lot 

 only thirty King Tench and seven Carp were alive. The Carp 

 were of the two best varieties known in Europe ; two of the 

 variety Cyprinus sjjeculan's, or Mirror Carp, and five of the 

 variety Cyprinus nudus, or Naked Carp, which are destitute 

 of scales. 



Mr. Hessel reports that when seventeen days out he had 

 sixty-five Carp in fine condition, but his supply of fresh 

 water being limited, after that time they died rapidly. 

 Those which reached Baltimore alive have been placed in the 



