18 HISTORY OF HOWIETOUN. 



eggs, and was eminently successful. 1 This consignment was 

 carried in a refrigerating case, specially prepared to receive the box, 

 with about 4 inches clear space for ice to be placed round it, in 

 addition to the supply that was kept in the ice-tray of the box 

 itself; and not solely to depend on the ice made on board, one and 

 a half tons of Wenham Lake ice was placed in the refrigerating 

 chamber of the Ionic. Mr. Ewen, of Sargood, Ewen, and Co., 

 made all the arrangements, and personally saw the box placed on 

 board the steamer, and in the hands of the chief engineer, who is 

 an enthusiastic fisherman, and thoroughly understands the condi- 

 tions under which ova can be safely carried. I had the pleasure 

 of meeting this gentleman in the beginning of 1886, and he 

 described to me a visit he had paid to the Otago Society's ponds 

 on a subsequent voyage, and the magnificent progress the fry 

 from this consignment had made. Prior to this I had undertaken 

 one consignment of salmon and trout ova at the request of Sir 

 Francis Dillon Bell, K.C.M.G. The salmon ova were collected in 

 the Tweed district, near Peebles, on the 4th and 10th January 

 1884, and were rather too delicate to pack on the 22d January. 

 It was therefore thought advisable to send two boxes of trout 

 ova in different stages of incubation so as to test the proper stage 

 at which to pack the ova. 



A refrigerating case was built on deck to receive one box, and 

 a chamber designed by Mr. Haslam was constructed between decks, 

 through which a current of cold moist air was driven. One box of 

 salmon ova was placed in the refrigerating case, and one box of 

 salmon ova and two boxes of trout ova were placed in the Haslam 

 chamber, the packing-trays being removed from the boxes, and 



i 11 BUNHILL Row, LONDON, B.C., March 10th, 1885. 



DEAR SIR, By letter just received this afternoon from W. Arthur, Esq., Hon. Secy, of 

 the Otago Acclimatisation Society, I am informed that out of the last shipment of brown trout 

 they estimate that 8000 healthy eggs had arrived, and are now in their hatching-boxes, of 

 which you will be glad to hear. 



What the ultimate result may be I am unable to communicate, but we have occasion for 

 congratulation as to result so far. 



Any further information I may receive I shall at once communicate. I am, yours faith- 

 fully, JOHN A. EWEN, 



Sir JAMES MAITLAND, Per J. W. 



Howietoun Fisheries, Stilling, N.B. 



