52 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[August 18, 1881. 



embryonic or germinal portion. The germinal protoplasm 

 probably occupies u peripheral position covering the nutritive or 

 vitelline portion of the egg aa a continuous envelope with strands 

 of germinal matter running from it, through and arnfmg the 

 corpuscles uf the vitellus, This peripheral germinal layer, when 

 t.ue egg ifl read; to be fei til: 9, rulg atei toward one polo and aa- 

 wutuea a bisanit shape. Tlija in essentially the history of (lie forma- 

 tion of tho mirminal disk of th" IV V."-te m .■•■"<. ,-. . ,, -|. , , ! , ,„| 

 ■nidfjirndemlv by Professei Knpffer ami tho -writer. Lit!:- if a 

 ■trustworthy Character is known' of the history of the g. m.,;,..-,. 

 TOBioIaand spot, winch boar the flame relation to the egg Bathe 



nucleus and nucleolus do to the unbalance of the coif of the 

 of the ordinary type. "When cleavage of the germinal disk ban 

 begun, (■( ('.-! Mr Ural [•orativf ivi'lvnce thai iai)ircgnalioii has been. 

 ..■/«/. The disk then begins to spread OTar the vitellus or 

 ;velk and ho,:.)! acquires the form of a watch glass with its concave 

 side lying next the hiirl'ueo of the yelk. Coincident with the 

 latere! expansion nf the germinal disk, a thickening appears at one 

 point in its margin which is the first sign of the appearance of the 

 embryo fish. With its still further expansion, the embryo is de- 

 veloped more from the margin of the disk toward its centre ; in 

 this way it happen.) that the axis of the embryo lies in one of tho 

 radti of the disk, it? head toward the centre, its tail at the margin, 

 iint before the ombyro is fairlv formed, a space appears under 

 'the disk limited by 'the thickened rim of the Jailer, aud the 

 embryo at. one side. This space, the segmentation cavity, is filled, 



irilh (/>: . ; i ■■ ,-...: . - ,; .:,-. OS :/,,, 



UUtarl ■ ■ • a blastoderm-. and (toes not disappear 



until eb] ibryo ha* l- f theegg a* a youmfish; 



amdthen it often remains aa a space" around" the yelic sac" for as 

 tang aa a vestige of the latter remains, aa maybe Been in tho 

 young of Oybium, J'arej ■ mtt, < aui Stecah and SgngturflMs, 



In regard to this point, I hold views ootid iy different from any 

 ■o| her" observers, but inasmuch as the writer has had opportunities 

 for the study of ihodeielopuioulof a greater number of species 

 representing a greater number of families than any previous iu- 

 Veatigator, and because the observations are based on material 

 Studied without the use of hardening 10-ageuta which cither de- 

 form or obliterate the segmentation cavity, and also because it 

 whs found to be present in all of the forms which were sufticiontlv 

 well studied, it is behoved that it will bo found in the developing 

 ova of most or all Teloostean fishes. Should this prove to be the 

 fact, the Teleostean egg will be as distiuctlv defined in respect to 

 tho sum of the developmental characters which it presents from 

 the developing ova of other veitahrates, as the adult Teleoafc is 

 from the remaining elases of the nub-kingdom to which it belongs. 

 The floor of the cavity appears to be formed by tho hypoblast or 

 innermost embryonic layer, while its roof is formed bv the epi- 

 btast or outermost skin layer. Gradually this blastoderm, which 

 liaa been derived by cleavage from the germinal disk, grows over 

 the yelk, no part of its epiblaHt layer being in direct contact with 

 the hypoblast below on account of the presence of the intervening 

 film of fluid, exia.pt at its rim. The embryo also appears to bo in 

 fixed contact with the yelk. The blastoderm grows at about an 

 equal rate alt around its margin ; the point where tho edges of tho 

 blastoderm finally closes is almost directly opposite the site where 

 tho germinal disk, first appeared ; the closure at last occurs just 

 behind the tail of the embryo where a little crater-like elevation 

 marks tho point at which it disappears. Tho embryo now lies 

 along a meridian of the blastoderm; its head at the original 

 germinal pole, its tad at tho other. The growth of the blastoderm 

 "V«r the yelk is greatly facilitated by the film of fluid contained in 

 the segmentation cavity, over which it oau glide as it grown with- 

 out frictiou. This view seems to me to be the most rational yet 

 proposed iu explanation of the method by which the blastoderm 

 grows laterally iu all directions down over the yelk. In some 

 cases the yelk sac is frequently much absorbed before the outer 

 opihlastio sac begins to collapse. This is the ease with Ui/liiiua. 

 after it loaves tho egg and proves very conclusively that the outer 

 sac is entirely free, laterally aud ventrallv from the inner one 

 containing the yelk. 



Thure are two principal methods by which the yelk is absorbed ; 

 tho one where a more or lest extensive net-work of vessels is de- 

 veloped over the surface of the velk, and through which all. or 

 nearly all, of the blood passes to reach the venous end or the 

 heart ; m many eases no such not-work is over doyeloped, aa for 

 instance, in the shad, mackerel, cod aud bouito. To the former 

 class the young top minnow belongs. Its yelk is orange-colored 

 aud imbedded in it superficially are a great number of rofriugont 

 oil globules of Bmall aize. There appears to be a sinus beneath 

 the head, continuous with the segmentation cavity iu which tho 

 heart is developed. Tha body of the yollug fish lies iu a groove 

 or furrow cm the surface, of the yelk. This is the youngest state 

 iu which I have seen Zygonectus and explains why I have given the 

 preceding general aoooutlt of the development of a young fish. 

 The somites or segments of muscle plates had been developed for 

 some time. The heart, brain, intestine and organs of sense wore 

 defined. 



The next important stagoTobsorVed was when the yolk sac was 

 in great part absorbed and the fish nearly ready to batch, or more 

 properly to leave its follicle and the body of its parent The ex- 

 traordinary acceleration of development noted in almost every 

 detail of structure was such as I had never witnessed in any other 

 species of young fish. The hones of the skull, although still 

 cartilaginous, were advanced to a condition not seen in the shad 

 until it has been hatched for three weeks or more. There were 

 intermaxillary elements with teeth: pharyngeal patches of teeth ; 

 the bram was pretty well roofed over by the cartilaginous 

 cranium ; the branehiosteges were developed in cartilage ; the 

 opereles completely covered and concealed the gills, the opercular 



utd being differentiated; the gills already bore branchial 



leaflets ; the neural and haemal arches of the vertebra were de- 

 veloped in cartilage ; there was a lagena attached to the auditory 

 capsule ; scales covered the sides aud back and were developed in 

 pockets of the derma] epithelium ; in five, all tho fins wore alreadv 

 developed except the veutrals with the same number of raya as in 

 the adult. All this, aud yet the yelksac was still not absorbed. 

 I have never -ten in any li-h embryos of the same age an iuatance 

 where scale.-, w r> > i -. ■ ; . ', " o or wnere .... fins had approximated 



their adult condition so nearlf as i:i Ibis ease. The onlv instance 

 ItnOWn to tne B.1 this Wiling frherea continuous dorsal and ventral 



median fin-told oped, is in the ease of Syngnathus, 



. the 



lal i 



snot, derived 

 g observation. A marked 

 'elopement of the brain, a 

 aa compared with that of 

 •al uable clues in following 



Whether the unpaired fins of Zygonect 

 from such ft fold would be an mtereetu 



acceleration is also noticeable in the dt 

 study of which, by menu- Of BeotiOIiS 

 the adult, has furnished me with some 

 up the development of Teloostean brains in general 



To sum up, this fish begins au independent caregi aa far dsvel 

 oped as when the shad, cod, mackerel, bon.to and many otha 

 tishes arc from three to six weeks old. By so much he has tin 

 advantages over these types in the struggle for existence in that 

 ho is ready to feed, to pursue his prey disoriminaloh , as soon as he 

 is born, while tho other forms alluded to are comparatively help- 

 less until some time after they have absorbed their yelk sac, al- 

 though most of them by that time have acquired mandibular, max- 

 illary or phuryergeal teeth or both. TheMah Commis-i.... :m- 

 tbonties need ucrer be uneasy about the fate of the top-mmuows: 

 they will take care of themselves; their species is sure of survival. 

 But our study, it would seem to the writer, has not been in vain; 

 because, even though the fish is too small to ho of any practical 

 value, it has taught ns that where. Nature has so effectually pro- 

 vided for the protection of the young fish she docs not require 

 one adult to produce as many embryos. In Zi/gonecle:. twenty-fivi 

 to thirty young is perhaps the limit of production for a. single fc, 

 mule; in '.!.•-.: a m i i ....--. mined stickleback, the male of whicl 

 is provided, according to my observations, with a spuming appa- 

 ratus, with winch he" fabricates a nest in which the young are 

 hatched anil taken care of, the number of eggs is. from fifteen to 

 twenty. Contrasting these small numbers with 100,000 to 3,000,- 

 onn, the .linn!'--, 'i ■■ easi ■■ matured in a single season by a 

 single female of manyauadtpmoua and marine species, which have 



navy, tdbetlv* or floaUnj — ■• i*1 kwM appear thai the giuni 



titios of germs produced by different species of fishes ii 

 way proportioned to then- chances of survival. Othorwi 

 loss to explain the enormous fertility of' 



forms; lb 



instances illustrating th 

 lens of millions and when 

 as to attain adult ago. 



Certain adaptions of sti 

 comparative study of fish 

 iug eggs is extremely thin. 

 eggs, while the thickest m< 

 ; . idagei 



May it not ' 



.me rolatioi 



fertility of the oyster a 



irit.ciplo, where tfva 

 barely one out of s 



tin 



i- 1,1. ;i 



n that e 

 Btboi 



■vy 



- ttdhc 



. pi 



ide.l with extei 



The roost thinly clad hatch 

 that" tho thinness of the envelope of the egg 

 to the rapidity with which the. oxygenation of 

 the egg is effected and consequently witti the rapidity df tissue 

 and embryonic changes'? Aud, finally, who would undertake to 

 say that all of these modifications of the embryonic envelope are 

 not such as could bo developed by natural selection so as to favor 

 the survival of the greatest number of embryos? 



Many other general views of a similar character might be drawn 

 from the material in my possession, but I fear that there has been 

 already too much detail entered into for this note to he of interest 

 to the general reader. 



Before c'o.ing 1 wish to state that it is the "Phlitct of the female 

 in some cvpriuodonta that Is prolonged into a tube at tho anterior 

 edge of ftie anal fin, as I have lately learned. This difference, as 

 compared with Zygomatic, would be useful as a general character, 

 as suggested by Colonel Marshall MeDouald. to whose liusolfisb, 

 helpful interest I am deeply indebted for assistance iu manifold 

 ways while the investigation of tho material was in progreaa upon 

 which the foregoing account is based. 



I appond here a note to state that, just as I had surmised in my 

 X>roviou3 note on the filamentous appendages of fish ova, I have 

 since found the ovarian eggs of Jlumirhavi films provided with 

 filaments similar to those of Belone. It will be remembered that 

 I stated it as my belief that filaments would ho found on the ova 

 of this genus when they were oxamiued, 

 iMbaraioru of the Experimental Blatidn of the. V. S. fflsh Oami*- 



xinn, llhrrijsla'ne, Ya., A ugnst 10, 18H1. 



CAEP IN TENNESSEE. 



Nashvttxb, August 8, 



AT tho rate German carp grow and increase in this latitude, in 

 two or three years more there will bo a supply on hand 

 sutlicient to give every lover of fish food an abundance. Since 

 the first consignment received here by Col. O. F. Alters, (Fish 

 Commissioner,') from Hon. Spencer F. Baird, the stock has multi- 

 plied into hundreds of thousands. In several instauces they have 

 spawned at loss than two years old, aud the quantity of fry 

 hatched out proves that even at that early age their fecundity is 

 enormous. 



Captain Green has a pond on his farm in which only fifteen or 

 twenty carp were placed originally ; now there aro swarms of 

 them." In one year's time they will grow to weigh from one lo two 

 pounds, aud furnish excellent lood. Apart from their food 

 qualities, they afford capital sport, taking the hook readily and 

 being game enough to be exciting. Col. Akers creeled a couple 

 the other day, simply to satisfy himself of their growth, and thou 

 put them back again. From each recipient of these fish, reports of 

 an equally favorable character come, and, as I stated above, in a 

 short whiio, our markets will be supplied with a bountiful number 

 of them. 



As yet none of our pond owners have made arrangements for 

 separating the fish as they should do. A series of small ponds 

 for breeders, and others for the yonng of different ages, and a 

 still larger one for tho fish intended for market are essential to 

 the anccossful propagation of them, mud bottoms are requisite to 

 their comfort, though in our mild climate not absolutely necessary, 

 yet it ia as much the habit of the carp to bury itself at times as for 

 it hog to wallow in tho mud. when these details will have been 

 attended to the pecuniary advantage of carp culture will begin to 

 be realized, aud found the largest interest paying investment of 

 tho farm. 



I regret to say that our fish protection iaws are not being re- 

 spected as thoroughly as they should, and to enforce them in tho 

 Bparcely settled portions of our State, is almost an impossibility, 

 specially as our commissioners aro unpaid, aud have no fund at 

 their disposal to have the many streams in the State guarded. 



It is a pitv that a portion of the largo amounts of money ex- 

 pended annually on cheap literature, dime novels and hideous 

 stories of fiction could not be invested iu sporting journals, such 

 as manv published iu this country. Could this change bo 

 affected the people would become educated to a true love of sport 

 and its consequent regard for game and fish protection. By giving 

 an acquaintance Of mine occasionally a copy of the Fobest a>'j> 

 Strium, I have transformed him from a pot-hunter to a gentleman 

 sportsman. 



The continued drought of .fitly put au end to aughng, aud was 

 fast threatening wholesale destruction to Bah m the smaller 

 streams, but at la»t wo are having copious showers which I hope 

 have come in time to avert the evil. Col Akers and self think of 

 takiug a trip to Syracuse this wfiek, I wish Prof. .Mather could be 

 with us. At any rate, 1 will let you know- of our luck, J, D. H. 



THE PROPOSED FISHERY EXHIBITION IN SCOTLAND. 



AT present writing it would seem that tho Committee of the 

 Edinburgh Fisheries Exhibition had no notion of abandoning 

 their project of holding it iu that city in 18S2. notwithstanding the 

 fact that the Committee of the London Exhibition to be held in 

 1888, suggest that they shoidd do so. We have received tho fol- 



o . Ml 



iNrnuNA'r 

 EDixe.uunu 



We have the honor to inform 

 Exhibition will bo held iu Edii 



That Exhibition will be ope; 

 and is intended to include, as 

 of, or connected with, tho fish 

 ample, as models of boats USE 

 suitable for fishing hoats ; nidi 

 fishermen's houses ; nets, lim 

 fiRhcultural apparatus, live fie] 

 and aquatic birds, painti 



u FlSl 



'ION, 



,-al Circus, Julv 20, 1881. \ 

 on that an International Fisheries 

 mrgh in the month of April next, 

 to Exhibitors from all countries, 

 ,r as possible, objects illustrative 

 ties Of the world. Such for ex- 



nd ofste: 



cured and tinned 

 .bjects of a similar 



d, Bart.; 

 Clerk of Edit 



•gh; 



- „„a Highland Society; 

 Abcu'i.. YOUHO, I ommissiouer of .Scotch Salmon Fisheries, 



Win Secretaries. 



Extract/ am Tin: Scntmmn, My 18, 1881. 

 The International Fishories Exhibition, hold iu Berlin in the 

 ass, and was the means of col- 

 connected with, or illustrative 

 were ever before gathered to- 

 nonts made by the organizers 

 l iu view of the International 

 uposed to hold in Edinburgh 



wld thi 



The arrange 



iserve attentio 



which it is pi 



of, the fisheries of I 

 gethor iu one place 

 of that exhibition tl 

 Fisheries Exhibition 

 next spring. 



Tho objeots in the Berlin Exhibition were classified as follows : 

 1, Fish and other walor animals; 2, implements and models of im- 

 plements used in fl lung; 8, apparatus used iu breeding unci pre- 

 aei'viiip; fl8)i ttfle for transporting fish uud for. keep- 



ing them fresh; fi, preparations for preserving fish for use as food; 

 B, models of fishing houses and of fishing costumes, etc.; 7, physi- 

 cal conditions favorable for fish life aud articles in use for investi- 

 gating such conditions; 8, objects, etc., illustrating the history tf 

 fishing: and 9, literature and statistics relating to fisheries. It 

 may be instructive to contrast with this, as well as useful to in- 

 tending exhibitors, the classification ado), ted at the recent Nation- 

 al fisheries Exhibition at Norwich, which has been so successful 

 as to yield a surplus of £1,500. The first class there, was " Pisci- 

 culture," including hatching apparatus, acclimatisation schemes, 

 ii'i.ii ices and implements; models or drawings of lish-brceding 

 establishments aud oyster grounds; " Aquaria," illustrations 

 showing the development and progressive growth of fish and mod- 

 els or drawings of fishq.a^o- n i;m..ici--i. The second class, under 

 the head "Fishing," included models, apparatus and gear com- 

 plete for trawlers, drifters, etc.: crab, lobster and prawn pots; 

 collections of deep sea drift fishing nets, herring, mackerel, sprat, 

 pilchard, shrimp, seino and other nets; collections of canvas, col- 

 lection of iuland fishing tackle, col lections of flies and baits, col- 

 lections of inlaud and sea fishing hooks, collections r ..-, 1,1,... 

 tackle, rods, hues, reels, floats aud other tackle; dredges, ropes, 

 knives, harpoons, spears aud fishing appliances of all kinds. 

 Class 111,, under tho head of "Social Condition of Fishermen 

 Afloat and Ashore," embraced models of lifeboats, life-saving ap- 

 paratus for aiding seamen iu distress, rocket apparatus, swimming 

 belts and jackets, life buoys, fishermen's apparel, lamps, fog- 

 horns, compasses, plans of improved fishermen's dwellings, plans 

 of swimmiug schools, plans of fish markets, models of refrigerat- 

 ing fish vans, medicine and medicine chests for seamen, and sys- 

 tems of signaling at night for fishing fleets and vessels. Class V. 

 included fish of all kinds, whether stuffed, preserved in spirits, or 

 representations thereof; birds that prey upon fish, amphibious 

 and marine animals, dried, salted, smoked and tinned fish of all 

 kinds: fish oils, fish manures, disinfectants, corals, shells, aquatic 

 flora aud fauna, shellfish of every description, common objects of 

 tho seashore, rockwork, fountains, etc. Class VI. aud last con- 

 sisted of loan collections of various kiuds. 



From the above enumeration it will be seen what a vast field is 

 open to exhibitors, and what a fund both of instruction and en- 

 tertainment a well-arranged International Fisheries Exhibition 

 would be tho means of affording to the public. At the Norwich 

 Exhibition there were upward of 300 exhibitors, and many of 

 these showed a great variety of articles in elaborately arranged 

 cases. The Berlin catalogue consisted of 1,508 numbers, but 

 many of these numbers comprised dozens, nay hundreds, of dis- 

 tinct objects. At the Berlin Exhibition the United Kingdom was 

 not represented as a nation, though there were individual exhib- 

 itors both from England and Scotland, such aa Messrs. Alleock 

 aud Messrs. Bartlett, of Redditeh; Messrs, Stuart, of Musselburgh, 

 and Mr. M'Oombie, whose model of a herring lugger was one of 

 the best in the exhibition. The foreign nation most completely 

 represented at. the Berlin Exhibition was tho United States, which 

 sent a splendid national collection, Congress having provided a 

 sum of *20,000 for carrying it to Berlin aud exhibiting it there. In 

 America Professor Baird, the United States Fishery Commissioner, 

 is also Secretary to the Smithsonian institution, and has under his 

 control the vast, resources of the Natioual Museum, which is main- 

 tained by tho Smithsonian Institution. The admirably chosen 

 selection of objects sent over to Berlin from the National Museum 

 was said to he worth £50,000, and it was accompanied by a staff of 

 fjBhery officials to arrauge the collection and answer any inquiries 

 with regard to it. It would certainly be desirable to lose no time 

 in taking steps to have this splendid collection of objects, iUustra- 

 tive of the valuable aud multifarious fisheries of the United 

 States, aont over to the Edinburgh Exhibition next spring. 



In the matter of artificial fish propagation especially we may 

 learn a great, deal from tho United States, who have brought 

 the science of pisciculture to a high degree of perfection, and 

 have invented a great variety of ingenious and beautiful ap- 

 paratus for carrying out its various processes. From 1871 to 187fi 

 the United States Commission has distributed among the rivers 

 and lakes tho following numbers of fish, artificially bred : 21,000,- 

 000 shad, s.iVifl.iion Cn.liforniun salmon {Sal, no gidmi.nl), 0,;100,000 

 salmon (iSalmn'satar). aud -1,100,000 whitefish. Canada, which is 

 almost as distinguished as the United States for artificial culture, 

 and where the Government maintain seven hatcheries for artifi- 

 cial propagation at a cost of £5,000 a year, did not send a single 

 article to the exhibition at Berlin. But wo have no doubt, consid- 

 ering how many Scotchmen are in Canada, that we shall receivo 

 contributions from the Canadian Government to the first, Inter- 

 national Fisheries Exhibition held in Scotland. Neither France 

 nor Belgium took any part in the Berlin Exhibition; but we trust 

 that France, which is unquestionably tho foremost nation in the 

 world in the science of oyster culture," which might be successfully 

 practiced ou many parts of the west coast of Scotland, will be rep- 

 resented in Edinburgh in April next. Norway, Sweden. Denmark, 

 Holland, Switzerland, China, Japan, Brazil, Russia. Italy and tho 

 Dutch East Indies all scut contributions to the Berlin Exhibition. 



We understand that the joint commit lees of tho Town Council, 

 the Highland Society aud tho Scottish Fisheries Improvement As- 

 sociation, who are at present engaged in making the preliminary 

 arrangements for the Edinburgh Exhibition, have issued a circu- 

 lar, addressed to tho various foreign governments, with the view 

 of obtaining contributions illustrative of their fisheries. 



THE F18HWAY AT BOSHER'S DAM. 



M-AXOHestkb, Ya., August i, 1881. 



Editor j 

 Think 



■est and Sir* 



i that auy 1 



information in regard to the McDonald Fish- 

 way, recently erected at Bosher's Hum. ou the James River, in 

 this State, would he of interest, to many of your readers, aud hav- 

 ing given considerable personal attention to tho matter, I pro- 

 pose to tell yon what I know about, it. The ladder was completed 

 and the water turned on about the 25th of May, unfortunately too 

 tit.- tor the first run of shad of this season, aud therefore any 

 actual test of its practicability as a shadway has been as yet im- 

 possible- but any one who has scon it with a sufficient quantity of 

 water running over the dam, say about 12 or H inches (tho aver- 

 age depth of water ou the dam in shad season), cannot doubt for 

 a moment its complete success, 



Since the completion of the ladder the water in the river has 

 been unprecedented!? low, aud there haB been hut- few occasions 

 when there was water enough on the dam to sufficiently fill the 

 ladder, I have seen it when there was, say ten inches of water on 

 it, and though not a full supplv, I don't hesitate to say that I could 



1 wed a boat fr 



whore a man can row a boat au 

 ordinary fish of our river, sucl 

 seem to go up it, with ease, anvo 

 the water was sufficiently clear 

 have witnesaed it that, oven wl 

 fill the toil buckets of the laddi 

 1 -,,, , 1, a a,- of about 



■ top. 



, the 



Hi 1' 



they havt 



it at the top a 

 .t water enough to 1 

 in the spring — there 

 .out 10 feet high a. 

 uclinatiou of one foi 



nd purely 

 The 



at-s, carp, gars, etc., 

 eon in the act when 

 told b\ persons who 

 01 enough water to 

 in the fish jump the 

 co on up the river. 

 i.k. way, but in the 



1 is 



a the 



-atcr t,n 



I not 



"a 



aud the 

 from the gatei 

 the ladder proper, mo an 

 nine miles, is an exceeding 

 falls and rapids, many of wl 

 than the McDonald Fishwa; 

 annually fouud their way to iJosuer s mm 

 year by year in consequence of their inab 

 sVaWninn Itrounds. We hope soon, howev. 

 McDonald's huppv invention, to give them 

 manv .lams to the verv headwaters of the Jai 

 our "noble river with this valuable , n 

 others of less ante, I am sorry to slate, that, though fve watched 

 ,, 1 .,,.,. v ,,-:,,:■:. 1 pe&anoe ol ihc salmon mi . 



■ itself. Shad i 



stem 

 rs havo 

 t.shmg 



citable 



if Col. 

 ■•cr the 

 reatock 



ring and 



