TROUT ANB TENCH INTO INDIA. 5G3 



a few days ; but on April 1st a great mortality occurred amongst 

 the ova, and by the 10th the majority were dead. 



Peariug the waters of the hills were too warm for tlie eventual 

 success of European fish, 1 obtained leave to introduce suitable 

 species from the low country, which was done with considerable 

 trouble. 



Mr. M'lvor was greatly interested in these experiments ; and 

 subsequently, when proceeding to Europe, he determined to try and 

 introduce Trout in another way. Distrusting the ova, he pro- 

 posed to bring them over in the form of young fish ; and it must 

 be remembered that in those days, as vessels could not go through 

 the Suez Canal, the fish would have to be landed at Alexandria 

 and conveyed in the crowded and inferior railway carriages across 

 Egypt to Suez. He informed me that every one considered failure 

 to be inevitable ; but he adhered to his own views, and I am glad 

 to add that his enterprise, intelligence, and patience have been 

 rewarded by success. 



He first had young fish captured and placed in a receptacle 

 through, which water ran ; the stream was diminished by degrees 

 and finally cut oflf, and thus the trout became accustomed to con- 

 finement. On board ship the water was constantly oxygenated by 

 being poured from a height, or passed through the rose of a 

 watering-pot or large syringe ; and some of the Trout, Tench, and 

 other Carp reached Ootacamund in safety. 



I regret that I have no account of this interesting experi- 

 ment to off'er, especially as I believe it has been published ; but 

 if I ever had a copy, it has been mislaid. 



"Whilst on the Neilgherry hills for a short time in 1S73, I ob- 

 tained several specimens of Tench {Tinea vulgaris, Cuvier) from 

 diiferent localities around Ootacamund ; they were doubtless 

 bred from those Mr. M'lvor took out to the hills. 1 did not 

 see any Trout ; and although Mr. M'lvor promised to send me 

 some from the Koondah streams, he was unable to do so. 



" No doubt," observed Mr. M'lvor, (Feb. 5th, 1S73), " all our 

 fish are breeding rapidly, with the exception of the Trout ; and 

 the waters of the Hills will soon be alive with them. The 

 Trout also have produced young ; and we caught some, but not 

 nearly in the number of the other kinds. They, however, seem to 

 be doing well in the Pyjcara and Macoorty streams, although I have 

 not been able to catch any of them there. They should do well 

 in the Koondahs and west side of the Hills. The great quan- 



40* 



