182 THE NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 



Much time, labour and treasure has been expended on the very laudable object 

 of establishing the true salmon, Salmo salar, at the Antipodes ; but, unfortunately, these 

 attempts have not been rewarded with the same measure of success that has attended 

 the experiments made with the Trout and the Salmon-trout. This subject of the estab- 

 lishment or otherwise of real salmon, in Tasmania more particularly, is one which has 

 to be approached with some degree of diffidence. There are those who, not having the 

 courage of their convictions, have acquiesced with and encouraged Tasmanians in the 

 belief that their superb, but in comparison ungainly, trout are no other than lordly 

 salmon. It has been a sore point, too, and a sincere source of regret to the writer, 

 that when called upon to invest this or that fish which has been submitted to him, 

 including the magnificent 29 Ib. Huon fish, with the aristocratic title of Salmo 

 salar, he has been unable, conscientiously, to pronounce the verdict that was 

 expected. 



Prophets have even been summoned, like Balak, from afar to prophesy pleasant 

 things concerning them. The only, and to most minds very cold, comfort accruing 

 from such a course, however, has been the oracular announcement that certain of 

 these fish would be sold " as salmon " in the English market. Now, according to 

 the English Salmon Fisheries Act, 1861, all migratory species of salmonid^e, including 

 the salmon-trout or the brown trout that frequent the river estuaries and run up the 

 rivers to spawn, are " salmon." In the eye of the English law, consequently, the 

 Hobart Museum Curator is perfectly justified in labelling the Huon trout a salmon, 

 or any other authorities in declaring that " salmon " are established in Tasmania. If, 

 however, sportsmen repair to Tasmania with the express object of enjoying salmon 

 fishing as understood in the British Islands, and as correlated with the capture of 

 Salmo salar, they are undoubtedly doomed to grievous disappointment. 



A brief account of what has actually been accomplished in the direction of 

 acclimatising the " King of fishes " in Tasmania may be acceptable. From the year 

 1852 down to within quite a recent date, the attempt to establish salmon in that 

 Colony has been the main object of operations prosecuted by the Government, aided 

 by a Board of Salmon Commissioners and liberal private assistance. The introduction 

 of Trout and Salmon-trout, while conducted concurrently, was held to be of secondary 

 importance. For several years the writer enjoyed the privilege of officially participating 

 in these acclimatisation operations, and he was thus afforded the opportunity of making 

 himself acquainted with all the attendant circumstances, and of arriving at what 

 would appear to be the only logical explanation of the results obtained. 



