ArtHUR.—On the Brown Trout introduced into Otago. 481 
The Omarama River, a tributary of the Ahuriri, was first fished by Mr. 
J. A. Connell, in December, 1879, and the following is the result of several 
day’s good sport, but subsequent trials were not so successful. During one 
day, two evenings, and an afternoon, he caught 14 trout, weighing 274lbs., 
or an average weight of 1:96lbs., heaviest fish 7lbs. During the same 
month I fished the Omarama also, two and a half days, and killed 5 trout, 
weighing 18}lbs., or an average of 2:7lbs. each. I also lost a trout after 
playing him out, which I believe, from his size (having seen it) and its 
strength, must have been 8lbs. Mr. Connell’s take would average alto- 
gether, including his clean days, about three fish a day, so far as I can now 
judge ; while mine was two trout per day. This river is shingly and snow- 
fed during part of summer, and lies about 1,400 feet above sea-level. Its 
banks are covered only with native grass, and its trout were remarkably 
strong and very fat, giving abundance of play. As trout were first placed 
in this river in 1875 their yearly growth is about 2lbs. increase in weight. 
The food-supply is very likely identical with other inland streams, but I 
have no precise informution about it. Lately Captain Fullarton, of Pal- 
merston, has told me of many large trout being seen in this river during 
last season, as well as in the Ahuriri and Waitaki. Mr. Begg reports small 
"trout as very numerous. 
The Otekaike River, another feeder of the Waitaki, was fished by Mr. A. 
C. Begg in February, 1881, when he caught two trout, total weight 5ilbs. 
This river flows over slate formation in its upper waters and shingle in its 
lower waters. It is partly snow-fed, like the Omarama, but in summer 
lower parts disappear under the gravel. 
e Kakanui River has for years been unprofitable so far as angling 
goes, but Dr. de Lautour, of Oamaru, and Mr. Statham Lowe, during last 
summer, had some wonderful sport in it with minnow, both natural and 
artificial, The former, fishing at night with natural minnow, had the fol- 
lowing luck :—December 3, 1882, two trout, weights 12ilbs. and 8lbs.; 
and on the next night five trout, weights 13lbs., 8lbs., 73lbs., 8lbs., and 
8lbs. ; being 7 trout altogether, weighing 50lbs., or the very extraordinary 
average of fully 7lbs, each! The night of the 4th December was very dark 
when the doctor was fishing, and the locality was a mile and a half above 
Maheno. He informed me that the trout were rising in all directions, and 
when he hooked his fish it took him from twenty minutes to an hour and a 
half to land them—hooking his first at 9.15 p.m., and landing his last at 
1.30 a.m. Of course anglers imagine the time very long when holding on 
to a big trout; the excitement and anxiety causing one’s mind to measure 
the minutes by the intensity of their feelings; a thing which is, I fear, 
rather misleading. The fish were all very fat and handsome looking, but 
31 
