456 REPORT — 1856. 



183 boxes were filled, each beiug supposed to contain 2000 ova. On the 16th 

 December last, Mr. E- Ashworth, on the part of the British Association 

 Committee, accompanied by Mr. Buist of Perth, and Mr. Ramsbottom, met 

 the fishermen at a ford near the junction of the Almond and the Tay, for the 

 purpose of obtaining spawn. Our pond journal relates, — " When we arrived 

 at the river they had caught two female fish, and at the next cast of the net 

 two other female fish were taken. At the third cast they captured a male 

 fish in fine condition, from 2i to 28 lbs. weight. We had now full oppor- 

 tunity of seeing the whole process of spawning performed. The female fisli, 

 after" being relieved of their ova, swam away quite lively, and each were 

 marked by punching a hole in the tail *." 



The male fish proved to be one of the fish which had been caught by Mr. 

 Ramsbottom i?i December lS5f-, and marked at. that time by the dead fin 

 being cut off. 



On I8fh Februury, 1856, Peter Marshall reports, — " The spawn all healthy, 

 and have every appearance of coming to life." 



On 3rd March. " The appearance of the spawn still continues very 

 healthy, but not yet quite ready for hatching." 



These reports were continued, and the ova that were first deposited, 

 viz. on the 22nd of November, 1855, came to life on the ?>rd oi April, 1856. 

 The others in succession and those last deposited, viz. \9th December, were 

 hatched on the 1 1th of April, showing a difference of only eight days in the 

 hatching, although there was fourteen between the different dates of 

 deposition in the boxes. 



Upon the dispersion or turning out the last portion of the previous brood 

 in the end of May, the rearing pond Avas emptied, thoroughly cleaned out 

 and prepared for the reception of the young fish of this year, still in the 

 spawning boxes, but now increasing in size. On the \st of Juli/ last, your 

 Committee visited Perth, and in company with Mr. Buist and Mr. Walsh 

 inspected the ponds. At this time a large proportion of the young fish had 

 found their way to the rearing ponds. Some were still in the communicating 

 race through which the water flowed gently, and a few still continued in the 

 small pools of the spawning boxes. After the ova are hatched or come to 

 life, the young are allowed to find their own way to the rearing pond ; this 

 they do gradually, and with the exceptions stated, had nearly all reached it. 

 They appeared quite healthy, were feeding upon flies and other insects, and 

 when a small quantity of their artificial food (boiled liver grated) was thrown 

 in, they would rush towards it in shoals. The reports of the keeper since 

 the 1st of July have been equally satisfactory, — " The young are as thriving 

 as could be wished in every way." 



This, then, is the state and condition of the experiment which your Com- 

 mittee consider thej' have under charge. Nothing further can be done until 

 the time arrives next year, when it is supposed a part, or the whole of the 



* Ova deposited in Stoinionlfield ponds in Novpnibcr and DeccLitier 1855. 



Boxes. Boxes. 



1S5.=>. November 22 2o 



„ 23 



24 

 20 

 27 

 „ 28 



30 

 Decern Ijev 1 



Carry forward 87 Tola! 



