The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-22
Fish and the Fishery Congress.


Fish live in the water. This interesting fact
On natural history has its advantages and disad-
Vantages. If the inhabitants of the liquid ele-
.ment were to be suddenly transported from
thence to terra frma, with such change of
hreaehing apparatus as would enable them to
live, they would be greatly in the way. They
would be consuming the oxygen of our atmos-
phere, and there is not any too much of that
now, especially in our large cities; they would
have trouble in finding food, and their fms
would not answer well for either aerial or
superficial locomotion. So we do not want the
<scaly gentlemen out Of their natural realms.
But, on the other hand, their present abode
causes us much inconvenience. We wish to
study their habits and attend at their nup-
tials and insure subsequent fertility, and yet
we cannot remain in the water to do it. The
world that inhabits the land has discovered
that fish are worth cultivating, and it is anxious
to acquire all the necessary information for
this purpose. 1t finds them excellent for food
and desires to enforce upon them the old
Mosaic law, Ito increase and multiply"
These jewellers in the running brook placid
lake or deep, deep sea cannot be propagated
unless their peculiarities are understood and
respected. They have odd notions. Salmon
will jump over falls Of considerable height and
will run up against heavy rapids; but to induce
them to climb over artificial Instructions GER
tain sorts of ''ladders' must be prepared for
them. They prefer to leap from pool to pool
In surmOunting dam, and have prejudice
against anything out of the ordinary course of
nature; they even dislike the use of wood in
the construction of their ishways, and greatly
prefer slate, because it resembles the ordinary
readily to long inclined troughs with bars
across to create eddies, and dislike jumping at
conclusions where the barrier has been made
by their arch-enemy, man. So shad are
adapted to using one sort of fishway and black
bass and whitefsh another. At least these are
the generally received conclusions, for the
entire amount Of knowledge on the subject is
not entirely satisfactory.
The same, If not greater, differences exist
between the various species in other matters,
In their times and manner of spawning, in
character Of eggs, in period required for gesta-
ton and In the mode Of escape from destruc-
ton afterwards. To discuss these and similar
questions, to agree on general laws, to prepare
regulations which shall prevent discordance
between adjoining States, the great gods Of
this department of nature, the Commissioners
Of Fisheries for the various States, are to meet
In this city on the Goth instant and have
grand powwow and conference. All the New
England States, New York and Pennsylvania
have appointed such Boards, and the members
are oseply exercised over the character Of
certain improved ''ladders" which the British
Inspector of Fisheries, Mr.. Frank auckland,
has sent to the New York Commissioners, and
which, It is supposed, are SO enticingly and
artistically constructed that no sensible salmon
can refuse to make use Of them. The meeting
will be fully attended, and will be Of vital
interest, not merely to human beings, but to
the fish, with whom it is question of life or