THE GERMAN CARP IN THE UNITED STATES. 527 
was made of the abundance and distribution of carp in relation to the 
conditions existing at various places, and measurements and records 
were taken to determine if possible whether the fish had changed 
perceptibly in accommodating itself to these conditions. 
Most of the time, however, was given to the more strictly economic 
ide of the question, and hence, either on account of their uncom- 
pleted state or because of their technical nature, the results of certain 
lines of the study have been omitted from the present report. One 
of the more strictly economic questions was the relation of the fish to 
aquatic vegetation, the destruction of which was being deplored, par- 
ticularly by sportsmen, who maintained that the best food of many of 
the ducks, such as the canvasback and redhead, was fast being destroyed 
by the carp. It was also to be determined how far, if at all, carp 
interfere with the spawning of other fishes, and whether they eat the 
eggs and prey upon the young of other fishes, and if so, to what 
extent. It was claimed that they were especially detrimental to bass 
and white-fish—the former one of the greatest favorites of the sports- 
man, the latter one of the most valuable food-fishes of the Great 
Lakes. 
Offsetting the possible harm done by the carp to vegetation and to 
the fisheries must be its own value as a food-fish; for the carp fishery 
has within the last few years, in the regions of the carp’s greatest 
abundance, grown to be an industry of no mean proportions. Must 
the carp, then, be unconditionally condemned, or should we find that, 
if properly utilized, its value would compensate for the degree of dam- 
age it undoubtedly does? It is hoped that the conclusions reached in 
the following pages may do much toward settling this question, though 
there are still many points upon which fuller information is desirable. 
In order to make the report more useful to those who are interested 
in the carp, it has been thought best to include a general description of 
the fish, its habits, and its history. The figures of the different vari- 
eties of carp here reproduced (pl. 1) are from drawings made for the 
Bureau of Fisheries from fish in its ponds in Washington soon after 
the introduction of the species into this country. The photographs 
and other figures are by the author. 
It is impracticable to mention here all to whom I am indebted for 
assistance of one kind or another in the prosecution of my invyestiga- 
tions. Iam under especial obligations, however, to Messrs. Cleaver, 
of the firm of R. Bell & Co., Port Clinton, who not only furnished me 
a place in which to work in their fish house, but placed at my dis- 
posal, without cost, whatever carp were necessary for my work. The 
Bense Fish Company (which has since changed hands), of the same 
city, extended to me similar privileges. It was frequently necessary 
for me to call upon Mr. 8. W. Downing, superintendent of the Bureau 
of Fisheries hatchery at Put-in Bay, for aid, which was furnished with 
