212 FISHES 



The Wellington Society kept a number of the fry, and in 1889 

 they spawned, and about a thousand fry were obtained. I do not 

 know what came of them, but Mr A. J. Rutherford, the Hon. Sec. 

 of the Society, stated that " Unfortunately, owing to a want of know- 

 ledge of its habits, we have lost the breed." 



* Brown Trout (Salmo fario) 



The naturalisation of this species of trout in New Zealand waters 

 is the most successful piece of acclimatisation work undertaken in 

 this colony. It has exceeded all expectations. It has not only stocked 

 the streams and rivers with the finest of sporting and edible fishes, 

 a reputation which it shares with the rainbow trout, but it has 

 brought numerous sportsmen to the country, and made it known 

 far and wide as a paradise for anglers. It has also given to the coastal 

 waters of the dominion the finest of food-fishes. It is true that the 

 restrictive laws passed in the interests of the acclimatisation societies, 

 and which are still in force, prevent the trout in the sea from becoming 

 available, as they ought to be, as a food supply for the people. But 

 it is quite possible to safeguard the trout in the streams, and yet 

 enable those in the sea to be taken like other free-swimming fish, 

 and then the public will get the benefit. 



The first attempt to introduce brown trout into New Zealand was 

 made by the late Mr A. M. Johnson of Opawa, Christchurch, who 

 did actually ship 600 young trout in London in 1864 by the 'British 

 Empire,' but a careless deck-hand dropped a lump of white-lead 

 putty into the tank (this was afterwards found at the bottom) and 

 killed all the fish. 



In 1868 and the following year, Mr Huddlestone, on behalf of 

 the Nelson Society, introduced trout ova from Tasmania, but the 

 record of this work has been lost. 



Mr Johnson claims that he was the first introducer of this fish 

 into the country. In a letter written by him to the Minister 

 of Public Works on 6th February, 1878, he says: "I may also 

 add that the English brown trout was first introduced into New 

 Zealand at my expense." This shipment was one of 800 ova from 

 Tasmania, and it appears from the reports that they were brought 

 out for the Canterbury Society in 1867. Mr Johnson brought them 

 across from Hobart, but unfortunately there was so much friction 

 existing for years between him and Mr Farr, the Hon. Sec. of the 

 Society, that it is difficult to get at the facts. Of these 800 ova, only 

 three hatched out. The report states that "it was not long before 

 one of them was lost (escaped into the Avon). The two remaining 

 proved to be male and female, so we concluded that even from 



