14 HISTORY OF HOWIETOUN. 



nation. Unfortunately the consignment perished : but from Mr. 

 Arthur's letter annexed, 1 describing the removal of the inner case, 

 which contained the eggs, at Melbourne, and its trans-shipment to 

 Dunedin in the Rotomahana, and from the advanced development 

 of the ova, and the condition of the moss, it is quite clear that the 

 eggs were suffocated through exposure to too high a temperature, 

 probably during trans-shipment from Melbourne. 



OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY, 

 DUNEDIN, March 16th, 18S2. 



SIB, You will be sorry to hear that the 10,000 Lochleven trout ova you so kindly sent 

 to our Society were found on their arrival here to be all dead. Of this I sent a short intima- 

 tion already, and having seen Mr. Handyside (who himself was quarantined at Melbourne), 

 I can now supply some information regarding the shipment from London to Melbourne, and 

 subsequently. 1st. On Mr. H. getting on board the Potosi at Plymouth, the box of ova could 

 not be found. After much search it was discovered among the luggage "not wanted on 

 voyage," and was lying on its side ! It was too large to go into the ice-house, but Mr. H. 

 succeeded in persuading the officers to enlarge the door, by which means it was got in, and 

 packed round about with ice. The Potosi reached Melbourne on February 15, 1882, and the 

 ova box was at once transhipped to the Rotomahana, and arrived here on the 21st February. 

 The door of ice-house in this steamer was too small also, so the box had to be opened, and the 

 inner one was then placed in the ice, and so came on. No fresh ice was put in the tray, but 

 from your letter to Handyside that did not seem to be an essential. 2d. On the box being 

 opened here the eggs were all dead, and were somewhat opaque. But the/orm and eye of the 

 fish were quite visible, so that development had advanced very much. The ice-tray was empty, 

 but the moss in the egg-trays was fresh and damp at least so much as I examined was. 



Without pronouncing any opinion on the merits or otherwise of your system of packing 

 and shipping through the Tropics, I would like to point out that we have received several 

 shipments of ova from America in years past S. qulnnat and Coregonus albus (whitefish) 

 which were mostly a success. For instance, 50,000 S. quinnat eggs came enclosed by an 

 outer box considerably smaller than yours. Of these about 90 per cent, were good and 

 healthy on arrival, and a large percentage hatched out, and were liberated in our rivers. I 

 believe the packing was done by Mr. L. Stone, or under his directions. Sawdust in quilted 

 bags was packed between case and ova box, and the lid and bottom of case or outer box, also 

 of ova box, were perforated with a few auger-holes to allow the melting ice, which was piled 

 on top of case, to percolate freely through. The ova box was arranged thus : layer of moss 

 at bottom, two layers of gauze enclosing one of eggs, next layer of moss, and so on, about 

 ten of each being in the box, resting on top of one another. Although, as I say, they arrived 

 safely, and in healthy condition, about five per cent, were bad, which might perhaps have 

 been avoided by having each layer supported by a tray. On the other hand, trays with 

 metallic bottoms are liable to induce rust (oxide of iron), which I found present on your trays, 

 due to the iron screws. 



Judging from the success of the American plan, as applied to eggs having to run the 

 gauntlet of the Tropics, it seems to me that the free passage of ice-water through the eggs is, 

 in the present state of our knowledge, an essential. 



The Council of the Society desires to send you its sincere thanks for the liberal gift of 

 Lochleven trout ova, and will be very glad to pay any expenses of this or any future shipment 

 which you might be good enough to grant us. I am, Sir, yours obediently, 



W. ARTHCK, Hon. Secy. 



P.S. I have preserved a few of the ova in glycerine and water. 



