8 An Angler's Paradise. 



lined with zinc, over which was a coating of flannel to prevent the 

 ice melting. 



" The ova boxes were fixed in tight with horse-hair and ice, 

 added to which the cases containing the boxes were covered on 

 the outside with matting, so as to resist the power of the sun. 

 Mr. Johnson also took care to do his packing as near the ice-house 

 as possible. The Southland ova were despatched by a steamer 

 specially chartered, while the cases containing the Canterbury 

 boxes of ova were placed on board the s.s. Alhambra, suspended 

 by indiarubber slings in order to prevent jar of any kind. The 

 Alhambra sailed from Port Chalmers at four p.m. on Monday, 

 May 5th, and arrived at Lyttelton about the same hour on Tues- 

 day, May 6th. Mr. Johnson had the ova conveyed to the 

 Lyttelton station, where a special train was in waiting, and the 

 boxes were suspended by indiarubber slings. The train was only 

 driven through to Christchurch at a slow walking pace, and the 

 boxes were left at the station during the night. 



" When the ova boxes were opened there was found to be a 

 great difference in the condition of the contents, the whole of the 

 ova in some being entirely bad, while in others there was a large 

 percentage with a healthy appearance. The first layer of moss 

 having been removed from these boxes, the ova were emptied into 

 a stream of running water, which had been previously iced, and 

 subsequently all ova shewing the slightest signs of life were taken 

 out of the stream, and placed in the hatching boxes in the fish 

 house. It may be said there were from one thousand to two 

 thousand placed in the boxes, and that there are several hundreds 

 of these which have a very promising appearance." 



With regard to the same shipment, the following is an extract 

 from a letter published in Land and Water, of August 2nd, 

 1873, an d received from Mr. Henry Howard, dated Wallacetown 

 Trout Ponds, N.Z., i4th May of that year : 



" On arrival at the ponds and opening the boxes, I found the 

 temperature in the moss was 43, and as our springs are always at 

 or about 50, I reduced the water to the former temperature by 

 putting ice in the upper cross-box. Water also reduced to 43 

 was put in large pans, and the boxes sunk in them so as to leave 

 all the ova submerged. The ova were carefully separated with 



