Omaha daily bee., 1896-09-03

member OF t0e NtDIdSNd HSn tbuiihiSSivH'
MONSTER OF THE MISSOURI.
Probably the most striking exhibit in the
entire building is a blue channel catfish.
II is a monst r, weighing 10 pounds, and
measuring four feet six inches in length
and twenty-eight inches around the body
1t was caught near the mouth OF the Platte
river. but not even an expert would venture
a guess concerning its age. Though this
fish has attracted the attention OF more
people than any other one FISH in the build
Ing. 1t has also caused the use OF more
words that are not found in polite lttera-
ture. when in the big pool in the center
of the hall it frequently manages to make a
splash that drcnchos those around without
the least bit Of discrimination. The big
fellow Is moved morning and night. 1t
spends the night In the pool, but In order
that visitors may see it to better advantage
during the day time 1t is placed in a glass
tank that it nearly fills.
The exhibit Of perch is said to be the
finest ever publicly or privately shown in
the state. There are a number Of fine
specimens. including one large one that
weighs over a pound. The two largest
surgeons ever exhibited in Nebraska are
also to be seen. Each measure about four
feet four inches in length and weighs
twenty-five pounds. They are VI the shovel
nose variety of sturgeon and were caught
in the Platte, near Oreopolis. A splendid
exhibit of tenCh, the fish that our fore
fathers believed possessed miraculous cur
ing powers for all the ills Of the flesh,
occupies a prominent tank. These tench
are newcomers in Nebraska waters. In
November. 1895, a number were received
from the United States fish commission and
distributed. 1t is found that the tench is
well adapted to the waters of the state, and
large quantities will probably be distributed
during the coming year.
The bass form one OF the chief attractions
Of the fisheries. Three tanks contain as
many a fnrpnt GROWING or this fish -Four
months, one year and three years are the
ages of the three lots, and all are in a
healthy condition. The black bass are the
envy of all fishermen that see them, and
they show how great the progress in hatch
ing and rearing their tribe at the state in
stitution has been during the past year.
The rock bass also deserve especial mention.
These have also been received from the
government commission ard are well adapted
to the streams of the state. The exhibit of
young black bass is new from last year, and
it shows the result of the methods of
Superintendent O'Brien for Matching and
rearing black bass.
FINE FOR THE FRYING PAN.
The brook trout are larger and finer than
ever before and are indeed a tempting sight.
They are from the state hatchery. Eight
large rainbow trout and ten small ones
attract considerable attention, and are tho
envy of all fishermen who have ever tried
their luck in the cool mountain streams.
One large pickerel from a lake near Atkin-
son is a fine specimen of this variety of
fish. There are some brook trout from
Long Pine creek that weigh two and three
quarters of a pound each, and measure
twenty-five inches in length. There were
40 fish in the creek until 1884, when the
state commission placed this variety in the
stream. The magnificent specimens that are
to be seen this year show the good results
that has attended the work.
rho goldfish rilvarSeb and other fish of
fantastic CClor3 are as beautiful az ever, and
attract no less attention than heretofore.
The exhibit is about the same as 1t was
last year. There are. however, more young
fish of this variety than there were last year
The brilliant coloring Of these fishes, the
striking combination Of orange and black,
the orange and gold. the red and white,
never fail to attract great crowds CA
observers. and the children stand in front
Of the tanks containing the gaily dressed
fishes for hours perfectly fascinated with the
brilliant scene. An interesting, as well as
an amusing feature of this exhibit Is an
arrangement of gold and silver fish that has
a political reference. The commissioner
yesterday selected sixteen of the brightest
silver fishes and one of the most shiny
specimens of his goldfish and placed them, at
the ratio of sixteen to one, in a separate
tank.
Major Cryer Of Douglas county came in
late Tuesday with NJ his usual display OF
frogs. HIS exhibit tHlS year Is tDiSiicl
better than ever before and they are so
arranged as to show the various strange
forms of development of the bullfrog from
the tadpole. Bullfrogs are the majors long
suite and what he does not know ABOUT
them Is scarcely worth knowing. He is a
willing teacher and enjoys instructing the
unlearned in the habits Of the frogs. There
Is a complete exhibit of fresh water clans,
sometimes called mussells. superintendent
O'Brien says black pearls are frequently
found IN thnca aInnpG hnt nnnp have hppn
discovered in the lot on exhibition. A pair
of large buffalo fish, caught in the Platte
river at South Bend, deserve mention. A
private exhibit of German carp containing
more than 200 of that species of all sizes
was placed in the Fisheries building by
Henry Eicke of Douglas county. The larg-
est fish weighs about two pounds. The
exhibit is a most creditable as well as in
teresting one.
MANNER OF MATCHING FISH.
The skeleton of a mermaid in a glass
case attracts no little attention. 1t is a
Chinese fake and is so well prepared that
it yesterday deceived many of the children
and drew forth inquiries from nearly as
many of their elders. A dozen eggs that
were laid by a turtle enroute to the fair
received some attention and were the cause
of numerous questions, very few OF the
visitors recognizing or knowing what the
eggs were. Among other novelties there
were the following displayed in jars by
Commissioner May: Basketfsh, starfsh,
~ladyfsh, crabs, squid, lobster, razorfsh and
sea Robin.
The Buck Fishway,' similar to the fish
ways used at the state hatcheries, is located
at the south end of the building. The crib
or bulkhead is constructed of oak. a Golfer
dam of sandbags being first built. The
chute extends to within at least two feet
of the bottom of the river and into the pool
below the dam. 1t may be placed
at either one side or in the center
of the dam, but must be placed in the
channel of the stream and where the greatest
depth OF water is always to be found. The
entire chute is covered with a two-inch
plank. The length Of the chute is de-
termined by the height of the
dam, the fall being three feet to every one
foot of the height of the dam. The ex-
hibition OF this model is a new feature Of
the fisheries exhibit. The method Of batch
ing Is also illustrated, A model of a hatch
ing trough shows how the eggs of The trout
are Matched. The Mcdonald Matching Jars
are exhibited by the government ilsh com
mission. President Whitaker Of the Michi-
gan fish commission exhibits tie Chase
Matching Jars and a box showing the merhod
of shipping fortified fish eggs, There ere
also a lot of preserved fish eggs. -: wing