240 APPENDIX. 



it is immensely prolific. The ova have been sent to 

 stock great numbers of lakes and rivers in France, 

 and in a few years the results may be ascertained. 

 The fishermen have caught some fera in the Rhine, 

 near Huningue, which must have escaped from the 

 ponds. The ova are brought from Bavaria and 

 Switzerland, where this fish lives only in deep 

 waters, and only frequents the borders of the lake 

 to deposit its spawn. 



The French Government intend to extend the 

 present system of pisciculture, to improve the 

 fishery laws, to encourage the cultivation of fish 

 wherever parties may be inclined, and to introduce 

 the best kinds where fish do not at present exist. In 

 many rivers where trout and salmon were unknown, 

 they are now to be found in great abundance since 

 the ova have been sent to them. M. Coumes states 

 that the present laws allow any person to catch 

 fish at all seasons with a rod and line, except in 

 the breeding season ; but as different kinds of fish 

 breed at different seasons, so the men fish at all 

 seasons of the year with a rod and line ; but no 

 one is allowed to fish with a net unless he pays a 

 rent to Government. No person can fish in 

 private waters, and if he does so without consent 

 he may be punished ; but in public waters the rent 

 varies from I/, to 41. a year ; the size of the mesh 

 of the net is fixed by Government according to the 

 kind of fish to be caught, and is made so large 

 that the small fish escape. The rivers are divided 

 like farms, so that each fisherman cannot interfere 

 with any other. 



The silure fish is found in the lakes of Bavaria : 

 it is a fresh water fish ; it varies in length from four 



