846 EEPOET OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 From a New Zealand xmper, puhUslied totvard the close of the year 1877. 



ACCLIMATIZING SALMON. 



Our readers are already aware that some montlis ago the Auckland 

 Acclimatization Society requested the United States Fish Commissioners 

 to be good enough to forward 200,000 salmon ova from their establish- 

 ment on the McCloud Eiver, California, to aid in stocking the rivers in 

 this province. Subsequently the Canterbury Acclimatization Society, 

 and Sir Samuel Wilson on behalf of the Victorian Acclimatization So- 

 ciety, requested the Auckland society to obtain 50,000 ova for each 

 applicant. By the August mail, Mr. J. C. Firth, president of the 

 Auckland society, received a letter from the Hon. Spencer F. Baird, 

 chief commissioner, in which he very courteously offered to supply the 

 number of ova wanted should the supply of eggs be sufficient to warrant 

 it. After that the New Zealand Government requested Mr. Baird to 

 dispatch 500,000 salmon ova for i!Tew Zealand. These are expected by 

 the mail steamer to-day. By Parliamentary papers we observe they 

 are intended to be distributed as follows: Auckland, 100,000 ; Napier, 

 50,000; Nelson, 50,000; Greymouth, 50,000; Wellington, 50,000; Christ- 

 church, 50,000 ; Dunedin, 50,000 ; and Makarewa (Southland), 100,000. 

 In reference to the distribution of the coming ova, Mr. Firth has re- 

 ceived the following letter from the colonial secretary's ofiice : 



"Colonial Secretary's Office, 



^^ Wellington, 11th October, 1877. 



"Sir: I have the honor, by direction of the colonial secretary, to in- 

 form you that Professor Baird was, on the 28tli July last, requested to 

 be good enough to have the next shipment of salmon ova packed, if 

 possible, in cases containing 50,000 each, of which two cases are intended 

 for your society. This shiiiment may be expected to arrive by the next, 

 or at latest the following, San Francisco mail, and I am to request that 

 you will be prepared to receive it immediately on arrival of the steamer 

 at Auckland. I inclose a copy of the papers which have been laid be- 

 fore Parliament on the subject generally, for the information of your 

 society. ' Should it appear to you that any additional expenditure for 

 supx)ly of ice, or on any other account, to insure the chance of success 

 for the shipments to southern societies, I am directed to request that 

 you will kindly make such arrangements and incur such expenditiu'e on 

 behalf of the government as may, in your judgment, appear necessary 

 to attain the object in view. 

 "I have, &c., 



"G. S. COOPER. 



"J. C. Firth, Esq., 



^'-President of the Acclimatization Society, Auckland.^'' 



Mr. Firth, who was busily engaged in making preparations for the 

 reception, preservation, and safe distribution of the 300,000 ova for 



