482 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



the doctor found very little in their stomachs, only a few bullies and 

 shrimps, and he thinks they must have disgorged considerably from the 

 length of time he had to take playing them with a very light rod. I have 

 frequently observed, however, that the fattest trout when caught have very 

 little or nothing in their stomachs, and it is a circumstance hard to explain. 

 I have likewise pretty often found a trout's mouth full on landing it, and its 

 stomach also. When a trout, further, is hooked by the tongue or any fleshy 

 part of the mouth, it seems to close its jaws firmly as if in a vice, for I have 

 seen their jaws almost locked on landing them. On the other hand, when 

 the hook gets among the branchial arches, or made fast to the gullet, I 

 should expect vomiting to result, and I have seen it repeatedly in such cir- 

 cumstances. As to deducing any average per day of the number of trout 

 and of the weight from these two nights' fishing in the Kakanui, I feel 

 convinced it is unnecessary, as the take was evidently very exceptional. 

 Neither can the yearly increase of weight in the trout be fairly ascer- 

 tained, for the first were put in in 1869, and with the abundance of 

 smelts, whitebait, and other food obtainable, also plenty range of water, 

 which are the conditions of this river, they have had every advan- 

 tage of growing more than at the rate of only one pound per annum. 

 The higher parts of this stream lie among fearfully rocky gorges of slate 

 and gneiss, and the lower parts on shingly, gravelly flats, amid limestone 

 formation and rich soil. It is a river also not much affected by snow water 

 I should think. I am informed that the settlers destroy many very large 

 trout by poaching, which, if not put an end to, will deplete the river entirely 

 of its stock. 



The Waikouaiti River also has been a very unsuccessful water as yet. 

 The first trout were put into it in 1869, and a great many thousands during 

 the last five years, yet they do not seem to make head as a stock, there 

 being only a few very large fish in a certain number of pools about Cherry 

 Farm. Anglers from Dunedin have repeatedly fished it without getting or 

 even seeing a single trout. Mr. Orbell and Mr. Buckland, however, two 

 seasons back killed some very large trout, night fishing. One of these fish, 

 a beautiful female of about 14 lbs., was kindly sent me by Mr. Orbell in Feb- 

 ruary, 1882. It was remarkably fat, and the belly protruded so as to 

 distort the cleft of the mouth to an angle of nearly forty-five degrees with 

 the vertical. It was very silvery, and, although within easy access of the 

 sea, did not appear to have migrated, its fins being all dark or olive colour, 

 and its spots black and round or square. The stomach was empty. When 

 boiled this fish ate exceedingly well. The mouth of this river, also of the 

 Kakanui, is tidal, but its upper waters are often polluted by gold- mining 

 works. 



