pkesident's address. 309 



they are transferred to a "spawning pond" built against a cliflE 

 with granite blocks, and which is at a slightly higher level than 

 the hatching house. Into this the water is pumped, and the 

 overflow of the water carries off the floating fecundated eggs 

 (for males and females are kept in the pond), and these eggs 

 are separated by a large horse-hair cloth and transferred to the 

 hatching apparatus. The eggs are thus fecundated naturally, 

 and the fish require no handling. The expense, Donnevig told 

 me, when large quantities are produced, is one penny for 8,000 

 or 10,000 fry; that includes all expenses, wages, coals, etc. 

 The adult fish are kept from year to year. In this country we 

 would be able to hatch many more fish, for the reason that in 

 Norway they have not the flat-flsh fisheries, soles, turbot, etc., 

 which we have, and as many of the fish spawn in different 

 months a succession of them could be employed." 



The stocking and preservation of our rivers and lakes is cer- 

 tainly not, from an economical point of view, so important a 

 matter as the maintenance of the sea-fisheries. It is neverthe- 

 less both important and interesting, and the methods adopted at 

 establishments like that of Mr. Armistead — the result of many 

 years of experiment— are well worthy of our attention. 



Mr. Armistead's hatchery is located about eight miles south of 

 Dumfries, in a most picturesque spot on the northern slope of 

 Criffel. There are sixty fish-ponds and a number of buildings 

 adapted for the various operations connected with the business. 

 I cannot do better by way of description than read some extracts 

 from a newspaper account of a visit to the hatchery : — 



' ' The sources of water supply, which form the driving power 

 of the works, are as varied as they are plentiful. At least four 

 different streams flow through the estate, and from each of these 

 a supply of water is drawn, as well as from springs innumerable, 

 several of which, collected into one focus, supply the driving 

 power of the main hatchery, which takes a hundred gallons por 

 minute of clear, sparkling spring water. A good deal of hatch- 

 ing has, howevei', now to be done in other buildings, and some 

 considerable extensions are now in contemplation. In the main 

 hatchery a considerable number of eggs are already (November, 



