47 



I have already mentioned that 11 boxes of ova were left in Melbourne. 

 No one can feel more grateful than I do for the noble manner 

 in which the sister colonies of Victoria and New Zealand (especially 

 the former) have aided us in our experiments, and I am sure 

 that my fellow commissioners will agree with me that it will be both our 

 pleasure and duty if the present experiment goes on to a successful issue, to 

 furnish those colonies with an ample supply of the first ova taken in Tasmaoian 

 waters ; nevertheless, had I been aware that there was any intention of retain- 

 ing a portiou of these particiilar ova in Melbouine, I should have made a 

 strong appeal to the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria to give up such inten- 

 tion, as the retaining them could only result in the certain loss of so manj 

 Ova. 



Suppose that of the 700 living ova now in Melbourne 50 per cent, should 

 live to be smolts (a high average when we consider that they are to be sub- 

 jected to the treatment of those who have had no practical experience in fish 

 hatching), these 350 smolts will at the pi'oper season be placed in a river ill 

 adapted for them, and will be liable to the attacks of many unforeseen enemies, 

 and to unforeseen difficulties in obtaining food, in a sea the temperature of 

 which is probably too high. 



Under these disadvantageous circumstances, the conviction is strong on my 

 mind that not one of those 350 fish would ever be seen again. On the other 

 hand 350 additional fish passing down the Rivers Plenty and Derwent to 

 the sea would materially add to our chance of seeing and retaking a few spawn- 

 ing fish on their return from the sea. 



We have recently seen how difficult it was to obtain spawn from many well 

 stocked rivers in Great Britain containing hundreds of thousands of salmon, 

 how much more difficult then will it be for us when we can only send a few 

 thousand down to the sea, and how unwise to throw away a chance of success 

 by withdrawing even 100 fish from our small stock. 



-HW>^^«>— 



