446 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



wliich were thirteen feet by nine, and eight feet in height, in- 

 closed in the buik-heads abaft the foremast, and situated in 

 the hold of the vessel below the water-line. This house was 

 surrounded by a skin of powdered charcoal, about a foot 

 thick, as a non-conductor, and is lined throughout with sheet 

 lead. On the floor of the ice-house w^as placed a wooden 

 grating to carry off the melted ice, while the boxes contain- 

 ing the ova were placed upon the grating, fitting closely to 

 each other. Uj)on this grating were laid blocks of ice of 

 about two feet cube, and then another tier of boxes also sur- 

 mounted with ice ; and the whole Avas not to be disturbed 

 until the vessel reached its destination. It is hoped, in con- 

 sequence of these precautions, that a considerable number of 

 eggs will survive; the low temperature secured by the nse 

 of the ice retarding the development of the eggs to such a 

 degree that on their arrival they can be transported to the 

 hatching-troughs and there developed. 



The eggs themselves are placed in pine boxes about twelve 

 inches long, eight inches wide, and five inches deep, sufiicient- 

 ly strong to support the weight of the ice. The bottom of 

 each box has a layer of charcoal, in small pieces, upon which 

 broken ice is spread. A bed of moss is then superposed, and 

 upon this the eggs are distributed ; then a second layer of 

 moss is put upon the top. Ice is also placed above this, and 

 the lid screwed down. 



In transporting the eggs of salmon and trout, it is usually 

 customary to keep them in the original hatching-boxes until 

 the eyes make their appearance, which with the true salmon 

 requires from thirty to sixty days, according to the temper- 

 ature of the water. They may then be packed in moss and 

 transported to a great distance. In the present instance it 

 Avas impossible to wait for this period to arrive, and the eggs 

 were packed a few days after impregnation. 



The total cost of this experiment will be very considerable, 

 the ice alone costing $500, and the freight for the ice-house 

 itself nearly as much more. It is not a little remarkable that 

 the gentlemen who have charge of the experiment of stock- 

 ing the waters of Australia and New Zealand with salmon 

 have not turned their attention to California, where salmon 

 are to be found much better fitted for the temjDerature of 

 Australia than the European sjDecies. The Australian line 



