196 Transactions.—Zooloyy. 
Since 1868, and up to the end of 1880 the society has distributed about 
110,390 trout ova to different provinces in the North and South Islands of 
New Zealand. For the season of 1880 just past, there were 57,500 thus 
disposed of. The method of packing these, recently and successfully carried — 
out by Mr. Deans, has been in small deal boxes about 15 inches square by 
6 inches deep. A good layer of soft damp moss is laid on the bottom, 
which carries a layer of eggs or ova of the trout, with gauze above and 
below. On the top of these eggs another layer of wet moss is carefully spread, 
then another layer of eggs, and so on, the top being well protected by moss, 
also the sides of the box. Not more than three layers of eggs are at any 
time put into one box, as it has been found, or is believed, that too much 
pressure is injurious and often fatal. A top of deal is then screwed on, 
having a hole in it, there being one or two also in the bottom. Two or 
more boxes of ova thus packed are then secured inside of a larger box oF 
case. They rest on sawdust, and the spaces—two to three inches—left 
clear at the sides are also filled with sawdust, a bag containing the same 
non-conductor of heat being spread out flat on the top of the ova boxes. : 
Next the lid of the larger box or case is screwed down—which also with the 
bottom of this box has several holes for the passage of water. Of cold fresh 
water a couple of pints daily, during the transit of the ova, are poured 
through the hole in the cover to keep the moss wet and cold. We have 
found the ova has carried thus for a week or eight days successfully to places — a 
as far off as Napier and Auckland. But during this last season ice has been 
used, a sufficient quantity being packed on top of the ova boxes. The result 
has been eminently good, not five per cent. of the ova having gone bad. I 
may add that our system is just a modification of the American plan, and 
as I think an improvement on it. The Americans use serim or gauze to 
separate each layer from the moss, and pack six or seven layers thus with 
moss between, one on top of the other. This causes too much weight to 
come on the lower tiers of eggs, and consequently losses are increased. 
Of young trout distributed throughout Otago during the same period, I 
find from the society’s records that 150,000 have been put into 150 streams, 
rivers, and lakes; whereof about 40,000 were turned out from January to 
end of December, 1880. These trout have in the Shag River, Water of Leith, 
Fulton’s Creek, Lee and Deep Streams, Waiwera, Kuriwao, Teviot, and 
about Lake Wakatipu and Hayes Lake, increased enormously in numbers, 
and that in the face of losses caused by such enemies as shags, ducks, eels, 
large trout, bad floods during spawning time, poaching, and so on. In 
many other waters they have also increased and established themselves, but 
not to so great an extent as in those above-named. Into the Deep Stream 
100, and into the Lee 98 young trout were turned in 1869, and 10 additions | 
