iv PROCEEDINGS, APRIL. 



destination in as good order aa the other two layers where there was 

 less pressure. I determined, therefore, that it was better to have a 

 less quantity with only two layers in better condition, or at least with 

 less risk, than a larger quantity with more risk of loss. I called the 

 ova packed in these 30 boxes my surplus ova, and they could not 

 have been less in number than 60,000 at tlie very lowest calculation. 

 I need hardly describe the journey, which was only a short mile from 

 the fishery to the railway station, with the precious loads each time, 

 and the care that tliey should get no concussion, against which a 

 clentiful supply of straw was provided. Straw mattresses were 

 placed on the floor of the railway waggon on which the boxes were 

 put, and firmly wedged with plenty of straw so that tliey could not 

 collide or move. I left by train on the evening of '2nd March and 

 remained at Knniskill*»n all tiiat night. At G o'clock next morning we 

 left for Dublin, when all the boxes hud to be shifted on board the 

 steamer from Holyhead, and on arrival there we had a special waggon 

 ready in waiting, into which tiie boxes were removed and packed in the 

 same manner as at first start. On arrival in London on Sunday 

 mornin<:, I iiad all the boxes examined and replenished witli ice, of 

 which 1 carried a good supply with me, and on Monday morning, 

 March o, they were carted to the docks, where they were put on 

 board the s.s. Kaikoura. Tire chamber constructed for tiicir reception 

 on board the vessel was between decks in the forward part of the 

 vessel, and contained a space of 1,95.3 cubic feet. It was thoroughly 

 insulated and lined out with lead fitted for cold air blast from ship's 

 refrigerating chamber to regulate temperature. It had ice racks for 

 store ice, and inside were formed one double refrigerating case, and 

 two single ones for holding tlie transport Ijoxcs already described. 

 Tlie 20 boxes were placed in tiiese refrigerating cliambers, tlio doors 

 of which were regularly supplied with ice from the ship during the 

 voyage, and ice packed round the boxes. The .30 boxes containing the 

 surplus ova were placed on the top and outside of these refrigeratint; 

 cases, there being no room fur them in the inside. As I had not much 

 confidence in their keeping alive under the conditions under which 

 tliey had been packed in London by water supplied at tlie London 

 docks, and the position in which I was obliged to place them in 

 tiie chamber, I would not waste any of the Wenham Lake ice on them, 

 and they were during the whole voyage consequently only supplied 

 with ice made on board ship from condensed steam. On arrival here 

 and being opened I expected to have found them all dead, but to my 

 surprise the ova in them was found to be in almost as good condition as 

 those which had received such extra care and constant attention. 



I have drawn out a table showing the temperature of the air on deck 

 — the 8C1 water inside the chamber, but outside the refrigerating cases 

 in which the ova boxes were placed — and that inside the double 

 refrigerating cases, wliicli I have called Nos. 1, 2, and ',i, No. 1 being 

 nearest the door enteriiii^ into the chamber, and which might be more 

 or lens atfeetcd by the opening of the door — No. '2, the one fiirtiier from 

 the door, and No. 3, the one furthest from the door. In considering 

 these tables and the positions of the alloiment ot ova in the chamber 

 it will be seen tliat on some days the temperature in the chamber in 

 which these boxes with the «ur[ilus ova were placed ran up us high as 

 17 decrees, while the liinhest temperature inside the refrigerating cases 

 only reached .3.")Vleg. I hough the inferc^nce to be drawn from this 

 is that ova may be cifely carried when the air is at h» high a tem- 

 perature as 47 ancl the outer air at same time up to 7S and 7!', yet 

 I wnuld not think of trusting a shipment of ova to the dangers 

 attendant on such a higii temperature, but I think it solves this 

 problem at any rate that all the elaborate arrangements of perfectly 



