EXPORTATION OF FISHES AND HATCIIING APPARATUS. 995 



ova in a low temperature during the voyage down the coast. I have 

 just examined the box, and find that there will be sufficient ice to 

 last for five or six days longer, judging from the quantity melted since 

 the Tarauaki left Auckland. This should be quite suflicient to insure 

 the ova reaching the Makarewa ponds on Monday next in good order. 

 I have, &c., 



JAMES HECTOE. 

 The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. 



[luclosure in last letter. ] 



Extract from Professor Baird's letter to Dr. Rector, dated Washington^ 



January 19, 1877. 



Yours of the 13th December is to hand. I hope that the first install- 

 ment of the whitefish eggs has reached you in good condition. I di- 

 rected that the entire shipment of three or four hundred thousand eggs 

 should be divided into two lots, so as to insure the greater certainty of 

 the safe arrival of some of them. 



Give me timely notice if you want more Californian salmon eggs or 

 those of the whitefish, and I will do what I can to meet your wishes to 

 any extent. The order for salmon eggs should be received by May 

 next. 



I have written to Mr. Firth, who announces a satisfactory result of 

 his experiment, that, in the event of extra eggs being called for from 

 Australia, New Zealand, Chili, and the Sandwich Islands, and an ex- 

 tension of operations on the McCloud River being required, I might have 

 to charge a small sum for the eggs themselves ; but in any event the 

 amount will be but small. 



I shall be delighted to have a good collection of your New Zealand 

 fishes, and hope you will send them duly labeled. Can you not get for 

 us some specimens of the new genus of fish allied to the Amjyhioxus f 1 

 believe they are found in Moreton Bay. 



United States Commission Fish and Fisheries, 



Washington, April 7, 1877. 

 Dear Dr. Hector: Your letter of the 9th of February has been 

 duly received, and I regret that there was even a partial failure in the 

 eggs of the whitefish. If you can arrange for a better connection for 

 the next season I would be glad to send you more ; and should you want 

 any salmon eggs, please advise me by the 1st of July. 

 I have, &c., 



SPENCEE F. BAIED, 



Commissioner. 

 Dr. James Hector, 



Wellington, New Zealand. 



