ISO I'KOCREDINGS OF THE ROVAL SOCIf:TY OF QUEENSLAND. 



BULLOO RIVER. 



On 4th September 1918 a paragraj:)!! appeared in the 

 Brisbane '" Daily Mail " announcing that a mysterious disease 

 A\as attacking fish in the Bulloo River from Adavale to the 

 vicinity of Toompine, where they Avere d3ang in countless 

 numbers, rendering the water unfit for human consumjition. 

 A local theory attributed the disease to the extraordinary 

 season and to overbreeding. 



The Commissioner of Police was approached on this 

 matter, and communicated A\ith one of his officials in the 

 Bulloo district to find out whether the epidemic had ceased. 

 Subsequently the text of Sub-inspector W. H. Ryan's reply 

 and, later, a copy of his report (dated 12th Sep ember, 1918) 

 on the matter were forwarded. This officer stated that some 

 weeks previously the fish had been djang in great numbers 

 in the Bulloo, but since then rain had fallen in places and as a 

 result of the fresh in the river the mortahty had ceased. All 

 species of fish in the stagnant waterholes were affected but 

 golden perch appeared most susceptible, being the first to die. 

 It was considered locally tha": the mortality Avas caused bj^ 

 lack o' oxygen in the stagnant water. It Avas noticed at 

 Quilpii .hat fish Avere not killed in Hoodrum Lake, though 

 this contained Bulloo RiA^er AAater and AAas onl}^ a short distanc - 

 from the smaller stagnant riA^er-Avaterholes Avhere fish Avere 

 dving in hundreds. 



In the " Daily Mail " of 27th August 1919, mention Avas 

 made that the epidemic had reappeared in th ■ Bulloo and 

 in the Wilson RiA^er, fish of three pounds and upAAards dying in 

 extraordinary numbers, smaller specimens apparently escaping 

 the disease. 



GEORGINA AND DI A:\L4NTIN A RIVERS. 



In the Brisbane " Daily Mail " of 14th September 1918, 

 the obserA^ations of Mr. E. R. CaldAvell on the condition of fish 

 in the Georgina RiA^er were giA^en. EA^dences of an epidemic 

 Avere first seen by him in the Georgina near Lake Nash (Northern 

 Territor}'), but on folloAving the riA'cr soutliAvard dead fish could 

 be seen piled up along the banks. Mr. Ogilby had suggested 

 this might be due to the salmon disease Avhich affected fish 

 AA'hen the A\'ater Avas 1oaa\ There Avere many large pools in the 

 Gi^orgina, hoAACA-er, and no sign of contaminating influence, the 

 only places in AA-hich fish Avere not dying being the " kopai " 



