THE GERMAN CARP IN THE UNITED STATES. 563 
is that this statement is correct in every particular. I give it from what I saw myself, 
_and from information Mr. Donnelly gave me during the day while he was working 
with the fish.” 
Smiley gives another instance (p. 698). This is the statement of 
Dr. George Wigg, Clay Center, Clay County, Kans., and is as follows: 
I have a German carp in my office that has been frozen stiff on 16 different occa- 
sions in one month, and yet each time resuscitation has been produced after the 
lapse of six hours. 
Although known as cold-blooded animals, the internal temperature 
of fishes is normally somewhat higher than that of the water in which 
they are living. According to Knauthe (1896) the amount of this dif- 
ference depends upon the condition of nourishment, and varies in the 
different races of carp. In the winter, when no nourishment is taken 
and the vital processes are mostly suspended, the temperature of the 
body becomes the same as that of the surrounding water, and Knauthe 
states that the crowding together at the bottom of such fish as the 
carp, tench, and barbel does not help to keep their temperature up, 
as is maintained by some authors. 
The hardiness of carp in enduring low temperatures for a long 
time without serious result is sometimes utilized in shipping them, by 
placing ice in the water to keep the temperature down. The normal 
activities are then much reduced, the respiration is retarded, and the 
fish can consequently stand a much longer sojourn in a small amount 
‘of water than would be possible at ordinary temperatures. I am told 
that the fish packed in ice even at points in Illinois and northern Ohio 
are sometimes still alive when they reach New York, in spite of the 
fact that they are sent by freight. Townsend (1902 6, p. 677) says 
those in the top layers will live two or three days; those below die 
sooner. In this case, of course, they are out of water entirely, though 
the gills are prevented from drying and the fish are kept moist by the 
gradual melting of the ice. 
Like many other hardy fish, carp can be kept alive out of water for 
considerable periods at ordinary temperatures if they are kept moist, 
and they are often transported for short distances by packing them in 
wet moss. In Germany it is said to be a common practice at such 
times to place in the mouth of the fish a piece of bread or cake soaked 
in brandy. The statement is commonly quoted, especially in European 
works dealing with the subject, that carp are sometimes packed in moss 
with the head protruding and are kept in this condition for weeks or 
even months (!), being nourished in the meantime by placing food in 
the mouth. As an example of what is often stated, the following may 
be quoted from Day (1880-1884, p. 160): 
_ Pennant observes upon the following experiment having been twice made, of 
placing a carp in a net well wrapped up in wet moss, the mouth only remaining out, 
and then hung up in a cellar or some cool place, the fish being frequently fed with 
bread and milk, and often plunged into water. Thus treated it has been known to 
live above a fortnight, and grow very fat as well as lose its muddy taste. 
