Proceedings. 327 
but I believe the want of success may have arisen almost entirely from the 
small number of individuals, which, if imported alive, it would be at any 
time possible to turn loose, and that if thousands could be liberated at once, 
the chances would be in favour of any predacious fish establishing itself 
in a new river in any suitable climate. Now to do this it would be neces- 
' sary to bring and hatch the spawn, and I think that by packing spawn in 
ice there would be no difficulty in preserving its vitality for a much longer 
time than would be required. It is not probable that the vitality of fish 
spawn would be destroyed even by freezing; but by merely packing it 
in ice there would be no danger of actual freezing, as the ice would 
always bein a melting state. 
‘“‘ The expense would not be great, as it is found quite possible to pack 
ice on board ship in such a manner that so small a quantity as ten tons 
may be carried from America to Canton. It would be necessary to secure 
the services of some person, who would feel a personal interest in the 
success of the undertaking, to colleet spawn in England, and stow it in 
some ice-house in London until the vessel which was to carry it should be 
ready to receive the store of ice. It would be desirable that small ponds 
should be formed in readiness to receive and hatch the spawn on arrival. 
These ponds should be made on the side of the river intended to be 
stocked, or in a small tributary; they should communicate with one 
another, and the bottoms should be of mud, sand or gravel, so that the fry 
might choose that which best suited them; a fringe of small water plants 
might be of great importance to the success of the experiment, as little 
fish frequently hover under the leaves. The entrances should be guarded 
by gauze screens, to prevent the exit of the fry, as well as the entrance of 
enemies. It would be advisable to feed the young fry in these ponds with 
blood, and very finely pounded flesh or fish, until they have acquired some 
strength: perhaps the best rule would be to keep them in confinement so 
long as they appear to increase in size under the treatment, and then to 
allow them to take their chance in the open stream. 
“One advantage attending this method of proceeding would be, that 
several kinds of fish might be introduced at the same time with a very 
small addition to the expense. The sturgeon and sterlet would be most 
valuable introductions, and I suppose the spawn might be procured 
without much difficulty by way of St. Petersburg. From his well-known 
liberality in all matters connected with science, I have no doubt that His 
Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia would, if necessary, give his 
assistance in forwarding the experiment. 
“T think it quite probable that, by means of artificially impregnated spawn, 
the best fish of the European seas may be established on the Australian 
coasts; and I would particularly recommend that the herring should be 
made a subject of experiment, as its establishment would be even of more 
importance than that of the salmon itself. 
‘Crabs and lobsters might also be tried in properly secured salt-water 
ponds. 
