48 



to say fish of from two pounds to eight pounds in weight, whereas the 

 largest of the fish now caught weighs under half a pound, and carries with 

 it a proof of its having but just left fresh water, as the silvery scales came 

 ofi" at the slightest touch, leaving the colour and markings of the parr dis- 

 tinctly visible beneath. It is therefore certain that these smolts are the 

 produce of the Colony, as the parent fish must have returned from sea to 

 deposit the ova from which such smolts were hatched. Doubts have been 

 expressed by many colonists as to the nature of the fish, one specimen of 

 ■which has been just presented to the Museum, and a slight reference to the 

 subject is therefore necessary. In the first shipment — which arrived in 

 1864 — the only migratory species introduced was the salmon fSalmo solar), 

 ■while the second shipment — which arrived in 1866 — contained two — the 

 salmon and the salmon trout ( Salmo truttaj , — and it follows that these 

 smolts, caught in salt water, must belong to one of these two species, though 

 one learned gentleman has expressed his opinion that they are river trout 

 fSalmofarioJ, in happy ignorance that the latter species cannot live in salt 

 ■water. The second shipment arrived here early in the year 1866. In 

 October, 1867, a portion of the smolts of that shipment left for sea. In 

 October, 1868, the remaining smolts all left except a few salmon trout 

 (Salmo truttaj, retained in a pond for breeding purposes. The salmon 

 trout so retained, although well-grown, healthy fish, showed no signs of 

 spawning till the winter just past, and their progeny are now about an inch 

 and a half long. It is, therefore, probable that the fish which went to sea 

 in October, 1867, did not return as spawners till the winter of 1869, in 

 which case the smelt now exhibited can only be the young of the salmon 

 (Salmo salar). Again of the salmon f Salmo salar), about 8000 are known 

 to have left the ponds, and it is probable that about 2000 more ought to 

 be added to that number, while of salmon trout (Salmo triittaj not more 

 than 300 fish can have gone — in addition to which it must be remembered 

 that the salmon have been two years longer in the river. In answer to 

 those who unhesitatingly assert that these smolts are salmon trout, it may 

 be mentioned that the first authorities in the world on the Salmonidee ex- 

 pressly point out that the various species of the genus Salmo in their 

 immature stages closely resemble one another, and that a very slight 

 variation from the normal type, which variation is by no means uncommon, 

 may make it most difficult to determine the species of any single specimen, 

 and we should therefore receive the decisive opinions of gentlemen who 

 have no specimens to refer to with some degree of caution, especially when 

 those opinions are strongly opposed to the probabilities. One specimen 

 has been sent to Dr. Giinther (a leading authority on the subject) by the 

 Salmon Commissioners with a view to obtaining his opinion as to its species 

 before handing it to Mr. James A. Youl, to whom it is to be ultimately 

 presented. After all if, with the chances so much against it, these 

 should be salmon trout instead of salmon, the success of the experi- 

 ment is none the less proved, as if one migratory species can succeed with 

 a few hundreds turned out, how much more likely is the other to succeed 

 when several thousands were liberated. 



The Hon. Secretary read a paper by E. D. Harrop, Esq., F.E.M.S., of 

 Launceston on the Fhyllactidium imlchellmn, one of the Confervoid Algae. 

 Specimens of this, and of several others of the same group, beautifully 

 mounted by Mr. Harrop, were presented by him to the Museum. 



The usual vote of thanks (proposed by Mr. Bilton) to the donors of 

 presentations, and the author of the paper, being passed, the meeting 

 broke up, and the fellows adjourned to the large room in which the Society's 

 annual Microscopical Exhibition was being held. 



Here twelve instruments were at work with objects in great variety, 

 and, as Fellows have the privilege of introducing ladies to this meeting, 

 the room was filled with pleased and interested visitors. The exhibitors 



