500 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



I come now to notice the vagaries of trout, if such an expression can be 

 permitted in connection with fish. There are two or three trout in the 

 ponds in the Botanical Gardens, Dunedin, from 2 to 3 lbs. in weight, which 

 live there from year to year, among ducks, swans and other fishes, and 

 seem to get past the spawning season without any inconvenience. They 

 have, also, lost much of their natural shyness and are comparatively tame. 

 The trout, also, in Mr. Pillans's private ponds are so tame as to come quite 

 close to him when feeding them. Mr. Connell, Mr. Digby Smith and Mr. 

 Maitland have each mentioned instances to me of a large trout following close 

 behind a good trout, when hooked and before landing it — no timidity shown 

 but the greatest boldness. Very likely the two fish were mates. One day 

 in December, 1881, Captain Fullarton and I were fishing below Eich's Ford 

 in Shag Eiver. I was trying to catch mullet with fly and maggot, when I 

 saw the mullet scatter repeatedly when near my hooks, as if scared. Pre- 

 sently a large trout became visible swimming round in circles, and, as it 

 came nearer the surface each turn, I cast over it in the vain hope of seeing 

 it take the fly. This it did not do, but it seemed once inclined to take my 

 companion's natural minnow. Gradually it came closer to the bank and 

 began to get its head above water as it swam round, seemingly in distress 

 and wanting more air. It could see us plainly, and indeed appeared to 

 invite our assistance, for it came so near us gasping for breath, that at last 

 Captain Fullarton gaffed it. It was a 5 lb. female trout, fat, with plenty of 

 curd, and ate well when boiled. There was no trace of fungus on any part 

 of the fish, and its viscera were quite healthy, only the gills were too highly 

 coloured ; but on the lateral line on both sides on the tail portion, between 

 the anal and caudal fins, a patch of scales of the size of a shilling had been 

 rubbed off apparently, and had small black hairs growing about -£$ inch 

 long. These, under the microscope, had a root-like or star-like structure, 

 branching out from a centre, and were brownish in colour, probably para- 

 sites. As the weather for days had been very warm, and the water was low 

 and heated, we both concluded that this trout was suffering from the heat, 

 and was either sick or fevered. 



The enemies of the trout in our streams may here be summarized. There 

 are native bullheads which attack the young fry, and eels, as both these fish 

 have been proved to eat trout. Large smelts, also, are probably offenders. 

 Among birds — kingfishers (where bush is plentiful), gulls, and shags or cor- 

 morants. The cormorants are by far the most destructive, and do more 

 harm to a stream in a season than all the anglers who may fish it. Their 

 favourite stations are a rock in mid- stream, or cliffs overhanging a pool. 

 Instances have been told me where at least a dozen trout have been taken 



