NILGIRI GAME AND FISH PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION. 537 
from Mr. Silk (Marquis of Exter’s Manager). They were put into the ice- 
house and were, of course, at once frozen to death. The money spent and 
trouble taken about the matter were wasted. A telegram was despatched to 
Mr. Silk to send out 20,000 more ova, and, instead of sending them at once on 
receipt of the telegram, Mr. Silk delayed a whole month and then sent out 
the ova. They arrived on the 4th March, the hottest time of the year. The 
high temperature of the water destroyed the fry as fast as they were hatched 
out, and only 83 of the strongest survived. These were put into the frypond 
at Snowdon and are now fine strong young fish 3” in length. Out of the fry, 
10 were retained in the large hatching box ; of these, 6 survived and are quite 
equal in size to the fry put out in the pond, All the fry have been daily fed 
with sheep’s brains and chopped earth worms and young white ants, 
Stockponds.—A. stockpond of 1,000 cubic yards capacity and a fry pond of 
smaller dimensions have been excavated in Marliamund plantation, with two 
silt pits, the whole surrounded with wire netting. The adjoining ground has 
been tastefully laid out with flowers, ferns, &c., at a total cost of Rs, 279. 
A site has been chosen on the banks of the Pykara river for a stock pond 
for breeding fish, where a natural depression in the soil has lent itself to the 
formation of an artificialdam. The surrounding soil has been excavated 
to a depth of 3 feet, and the earth thus obtained thrown up across the neck 
of the depression. The dam is 54 yardsin length by 51 feet in diameter, 
with a puddlewall of clay 4 feet wide in the centre, The total length of the 
pond is 95 yardsand the average width 30 yards, The depth varies from 
12 feet near the dam to 3 feet near the upper end of the pond. The capacity 
of the pond is 5,800 cubic yards. About 700 tons of granite have been collect- 
ed for facing the dam, lining the calingula and building a wall round the 
pond, The necessary iron standards, galvanised wire fencing, cement 
and other necessary materials have been purchased. From 20 to 40 laborers 
are daily employed by the contractor, and the work will probably be 
finished by October. The pond will be capable of holding 500 trout, which, 
in so limited a body of water, must necessarily be daily fed with chopped 
crabs, earth worms, &c, Mahamed Cassim is in charge of the pond and, as he 
lives within 50 yards of it and as he takes great interest in the work, may be 
entrusted to look after the place properly. An artificial waterfall will be 
constructed 12 feet high, the water (diverted from a neighbouring stream) will 
fall on to a gravel redd, with a trapdoor 14 feet from the fall. The trout will 
ascend the redd to spawn, when the door will be let down, the fish stripped 
of their ova, which will be fertilised and then despatched to the hatching 
boxes in Snowdon, which are most excellently situated for the purpose 
and in charge of Mahamed Gouse, who has been taught and thoroughly 
understands everything connected with the management of ova. He deserves 
great credit for the manner in which he has supervised and carried out 
the last experiments, 
