452 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



mated for distribution from the fishery, during the season just com- 

 menced, is something- short of one million, including British and foreign, 

 the bulk of the latter coming from Norway. Small, as well as large, 

 quantities of ova are supplied from the fishery to enable amateurs to 

 try experiments in fish-culture ; and an illustrated catalogue of the ap- 

 paratus required for conducting such experiments, and containing in- 

 structions, may be had on application by post. Mr. Arrnistead also 

 supplies a list of aquatic plants as a suitable and most important ad- 

 junct of fish-culture; likewise proper food for trout, in the form of fresh- 

 water shrimps, mollusks, fish meal for feeding fry, &c. Mr. Armistead's 

 postal address is Solway Fishery, near Dumfries. 



(3) Stormontfield ponds. — These ponds were erected in 1853 by 

 the then proprietors of salmon fisheries on the Tay. They are situated 

 about five miles above Perth, on that river, and occupy, roughly, about 

 two acres Of ground. Under Mr. Eobert Buist, at that time the super- 

 intendent of the Tay fisheries, a long series of experiments was con- 

 ducted, proving many interesting points in the life history of the sal- 

 mon. These experiments — well known as the " Stormontfield Experi- 

 ments " — demonstrated, not only the practicability, but the profitable- 

 ness of rearing salmon artificially. The Stormontfield ponds are now 

 superseded by the Dupplin hatchery (referred to below), but are still 

 used for purposes of breeding and rearing. The breeding boxes number 

 300, and are placed in thirty parallel rows, in the open air, on a gentle 

 slope. Of these boxes some 200 are being used the present season. 

 They are laid with gravel. The present superintendent of the Tay fish- 

 eries, Mr. Alexander H. Lumsden, states that in his experience the per- 

 centage of loss is very great as compared with that under the new system 

 followed at Dupplin. The two rearing ponds at Stormontfield have 

 been stocked for this season with about 20,000 fry from the Dupplin hatch- 

 ery, which are doing well, and are now parr about 2 inches long. The 

 fry, fed on ground liver, are kept for about two years in the ponds be- 

 fore being turned out into the river and tributaries. 



(4) Dupplin hatchery. — This new fish-breeding establishment of 

 the Tay District Board is situated -at Newmill, Dupplin castle (the 

 property of Lord Kinnoull), Perthshire, on the river Earn, a principal 

 tributary of the river Tay. It was instituted late in 1882. The hatch- 

 ing house is led by spring water, at the rate of about 12 gallons per 

 minute, which, however, is increased about a half more after the eggs 

 are hatched. The gross hatching capacity of the boxes is estimated at 

 300,000. These are placed in four rows, fifteen being fitted up on the 

 glass grill system, and five with the Wilmot tray, the whole at present 

 containing, it is calculated, some thousands over the estimated capacity. 

 It has been found that a much larger proportion of loss in eggs and 

 young fish has marked the boxes with the Wilmot trays. But, on 

 the other hand, about a third more of eggs can be laid in a box fitted 

 with the trays, which is an advantage if ova is plentiful. An attend- 



