198 Transactions. — Zoology. 



good salmon ova into the hatching boxes, and the sea trout ova. The result 

 of this experiment is now a matter of history. About 1,500 were reared as 

 far as the smelt stage (specimens of these may now be seen in the Otago 

 Museum), when they became greatly reduced in numbers by escaping into 

 the Waiwera, and by the depredations of shags. At the last the remainder, 

 only 250 in number, were turned out into the river Waiwera by Mr. Dawbin 

 in 1869, and none have ever been seen again, while it is almost certain now 

 that none ever will. Thus ended miserably that large venture in the accli- 

 matizing of the English salmon ; and in reviewing the operations, at this 

 distance of time, I am of the same opinion as then, that the Government 

 acted very unwisely in the selection of a tributary of the Molyneux, polluted 

 as the latter was and is by " tailings " from the gold diggings, as the best 

 stream into which to put the young of the salmon. The Aparima, or even 

 the Wyndham, would have been far more likely rivers in which success might 

 have been reckoned on. 



Subsequent shipments from England by steamers via Melbourne, were 

 more successful, (although one or two were wholly failures). The ova in 

 these former cases were entrusted to Mr. Howard, of the Wallacetown 

 Salmon Ponds, near Invercargill, an enthusiast, and a well informed man 

 in fish culture, and this important trust was not misplaced. Of the 

 " Oberon " shipment, 96 young English salmon smolts were put into the 

 Aparima, or a pond adjoining it, in 1874. In 1876, of the " Durham" 

 shipment, 1,400 were liberated in the same river; and of that by the 

 " Chimborazo," 2,500 were growing in the boxes in June, 1878, these being 

 afterwards, I believe, turned out in the same river. The first of the above 

 ova were got from the rivers Severn, Tweed, Tyue, Eibble and Hodder, the 

 second from the Eibble, Hodder, Lune, Severn, and Dart, and the last from 

 the Tyne, Avon, and Lune. I am indebted to Mr. Howard for these par- 

 ticulars. From the printed report of the "Durham" lot, it would appear 

 that the ova packed in Sphagnum moss by Mr. Buckland, arrived in far 

 better condition than those sent in common moss, and which were packed 

 by Mr. Youl. The latter was covered with mould, while the former moss 

 was found to be perfectly clean and free from fungoid growths. For two 

 years past I have occasionally received information from Eiverton residents 

 that young salmon had been seen in the estuary of the Aparima. And 

 lately, Mr. Ellis, of Merrivale, made particular enquiries, and assured me 

 there could be no doubt of the fact, for he knew a party who had bought 

 from fishermen young salmon and eaten them ! On the other hand Mr. 

 Howard went specially to Eiverton to try and settle the question, and he 

 has kindly written to me that as yet there is in his opinion no proof of the 

 return of salmon to the above river. Under these circumstances, it must 



