65 



The specimens of English Trout wliich can be seen disporting themselves in the pond in 

 the Fernery were hatched from ova obtained from the Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation Society, who 

 have been extremely fortunate in their operations, as the following memorandum will testify : — 



The society has been in existence '25 years, and 

 received their first consignment of Trout ova from 

 Tasmania on the '25tli of August, 1871, and for some 

 years afterwards continued to import ova from Tas- 

 mania and from New Zealand. About 1882 they 

 commenced stripping themselves, and have been doing 

 so every year since witli remarkaljle success, while 

 occasionally importing 10,000 and 20,000 from Tas- 

 mania or New Zealand. During the past season tlie 

 society distributed to all parts of the colony no less 

 than 22,750 yearling Trout, 1,530 English Perch, and 

 33 Carp and a large number of English Tench. The 

 stripping season commences the end of June, and 

 generally lasts until the first week in August ; the 

 ova hatches in from 70 to 75 days ; the fry are kept 

 in ponds and at first fed regularly every morning, and 

 afterwards morning and evening till the following 

 May. when they are distributed to suitable waters as 

 yearlings. In the society's hatcheries are sixteen 

 boxes, each containing four trays tJU w'hich the eggs 

 are placed, and over which a stream of filtered water 

 is kept constantly running ; from these trays tiie young 

 fry work their way into the rill running down the 

 centre of the hatching-house, through which also a 

 stream is constantly passing, and from here they are 

 removed to the pond from which they are distributed. 4(XI,000 eggs can be hatched annually in the hatchery. Every 

 year the applications for fish are increasmg. The society is carried on by a committee of gentlemen : — E Morey, Esq., 

 M. L.C., president ; T>v. Whitcondie, vice-president ; J. Noble Wilson, Esq., Alex. White, Esq., C. C. Stropie, Esq., J. 6. 

 Macdonald, Esq., David Cooke, Esq., T. H. Thompson, Esq. ; G. Perry, Esq., hon. treasurer; Chas. Taylor, Esq , hon. 

 secretary. 



The hatchery and rearing ponds are in the Botanical gardens. The society is called the Ballarat Fish Acclimatisation 

 Society. The ponds are supplied with water from the lake by wind-mill. 



The artificial hatching and acclimatisation of fish is a most fascinating and interesting 

 pursuit, and it is a creat )iity tliat it is not more universally pursued than it is at present. There 



Tlifc; TKOl'T PONDS .\T li.\LLAK.V'r. 



9r*i ■k:^x^^ lOOMujm 



HATCHERY AT LOVELY BANKS, GEELONG. 



