PRACTICAL CARP CULTURE. 77 



after being in the water for a time swells and softens, and occasionally 

 sprouts. In this latter condition it makes a good food. No results, how- 

 ever, of these experiments have been noted. A great many culturists 

 have been feeding bread made from course shorts or bran, and report 

 great satisfaction with the results. The results no doubt would have 

 been more satisfactory had the bran been moistened with blood instead of 

 water, and then baked. 



The plan adopted by some of feeding on platforms some distance below 

 the water level, with rimmed edges to keep the food from slipping off into 

 the water, has advantages and disadvantages. Where the carp are gen- 

 erally fed, and depend on the food supplied, it is to be commended, as you 

 can always tell when you are overfeeding by the remains. But where the 

 feeding is intended as an aid or relief to the food supply of the pond, then 

 the matter given them had better be distributed around in the shallow 

 water of the pond, where any remaining will stimulate the insect life of 

 the pond and contribute to the future food supply of the fish. 



In connection with artificial feeding of the carp, many culturists have 

 practiced the blowing of a horn, the ringing of a bell, or the making of 

 some other noise to call the fish to their meals. They report that the fish 

 very soon learn to come at the call. One very ingenious contrivance 

 worked automaticly, at regular intervals rung a bell and dumped the meas- 

 ure of food on the feeding ground, and at the clang of the bell the fish 

 would swarm to the spot. These many things resurrected the long mooted 

 question: "Do fish hear?" In the hope of throwing some additional light 

 on this very interesting, if not important question, we entered into ar- 

 rangements with Prof. E. W. Claypole, B. A. B. Sc., F. G. S., &c., occupy- 

 ing the chair of Natural Science, at Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio, (author 

 of " The Lake Age in Ohio," and one of the publishers and editors of u The 

 American Geologist,") whereby he has furnished an illustrated article 

 upon this subject, which we present in the next chapter. 



