Insects, etc., of Caledonia Creek. 93 



flounder, minnow, blue-shark, tiger-shark, skate, sting-ray, and the long-tailed 

 sting-ray. 



PLANTS AS FOOD FOR FISHES. 



In Europe, the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) has long been cultivated, 

 from the ease and economy with which it is reared on aquatic vegetation, and 

 " on all vegetable and animal kitchen-refuse, agricultural products of little 

 value, etc., which supply a wholesome food for them, if it is given to them in 

 small pieces, so that they can easily grasp it with their toothless mouth and 

 swallow it." Others of the carp family — the tench (Tinea vulgaris), the barbel 

 {Barbus fluviatilis), the bream (Abramis brama), and the bleak (Alburnus 

 lucidus), are represented as vegetable feeders. 



The gourami (Osphromenus elf ax), of Eastern Asia, famed for its excellence 

 as food, is also largely a vegetable eater. Prof. Grill, in his " Natural and 

 Economical History of tht Gourami,' 7 * furnishes the following interesting 

 account of its food : 



" The gourami is omniverous in its appetite, taking at times fish, 'frogs, 

 insects, worms, and many kinds of vegetables ; it is, however, essentially a 

 vegetarian, and its adaptation for this diet is indicated by the extremely elon- 

 gate intestinal canal, which is many times folded on itself. It is said to be 

 especially fond of the leaves of several Araceous plants belonging to the genera 

 Caladium. Aram and Pistia; but it also devours, with not much inferior 

 relish, cabbage, radish, carrot, turnips and beet-leaves, lettuce, and most of 

 the wild plants which grow in the water, and it can secure for its use the leaves 

 of plants that grow on the banks and a slight distance out of the water. It 

 also takes wild rice, maize, potatoes, arrow-root, manioc, bread and analogous 

 articles." 



The attempt is being made to introduce both the carp and the gourami into 

 this country for cultivation. 



An interesting statement is given by J. Stanton Gould, in a valuable paper 

 by him on •• The Grasses and their Culture,"] of the fondness of the trout for 

 the seeds of a plant — the Glyceria fluitans. This is a rather common plant, 

 ranging throughout the United States, from Canada to Louisiana, and also 

 occurring in Europe. "It is found growing in shallow water, overflowed mead- 

 ows and wet woods, but will bear cultivation on moderately dry grounds. 

 Schreber says that it is cultivated in several parts of Germany for the sake of 

 the seeds, which form the manna-crop of the shops, and are considered a very 

 great delicacy in soups and gruels. When ground into meal, they make bread 

 very little inferior to that made from wheat. All gramniverous birds are 

 exceedingly fond of these seeds. * * * * * * Trout, and, indeed, most 

 fish, are very fond of them ; and wherever G. fluitans grows over the banks of 

 streams, the trout are always found in great numbers waiting to catch every 

 seed that falls." 



In plate 33 (op. cit.), figs. 104-107, this interesting grass is illustrated. 



In proceeding, after the above consideration of the various classes of fish- 

 food (which I trust will not be regarded by your board as wholly digressive), 

 to the subject to which my attention was particularly invited, we may consider, 

 first : 



• U. S. Fish Commission— Report 1872-73, pp. 710-728. 



t Trans. N. Y. State Agricul. Soc. Vol. xxix, 1869, pp. 191-402, plate 74. 



