TELEOSTEI 189 



subscription. Thirty thousand ova were shipped in the ' Sarah Curling ' 

 on 25th February, i860. The ice-house consisted of two rooms, one 

 within the other, lined with lead ; the space between was filled with 

 powdered charcoal ; a filled water-tank over the ice-house with a pipe 

 leading into it allowed a gentle and continuous stream of water to 

 pass over the ova as they lay in swing trays. The passage was long, 

 the 15 tons of ice gave out, and the last of the ova was found to be 

 dead when the ship was 68 days out. 



Mr Youl then visited the fish-breeding establishments of Scotland 

 and Ireland. He also made a series of experiments to test the vitality 

 of ova at a low temperature. The experiments proved three, hereto- 

 fore, unknown facts. First, that a continuous stream of water is not 

 essential to the preservation of vitality ; secondly, that partial depriva- 

 tion of air is not fatal ; and thirdly, that light is not essential. After 

 these experiments he felt assured of success if a sufficient supply of 

 ice could be preserved throughout the voyage. 



In January, 1864, he again tried. Boxes were made (of inch pine) 

 measuring twelve inches by eight inches by five inches, with per- 

 forated top, bottom and sides. At the bottom was first spread a layer 

 of charcoal, next a layer of ice, then a nest of carefully washed moss, 

 and on this spring cushion were deposited the ova. Over them was 

 laid a covering of moss, then a double handful of broken ice, and 

 the whole was saturated with iced water and screwed down. One 

 hundred and eighty-nine boxes, containing 100,000 salmon and 3000 

 trout ova, were packed closely on the floor of the ice-house, and upon 

 them were piled blocks of ice to the height of nine feet. The ' Norfolk ' 

 sailed on 21st January, 1864, and arrived in Melbourne on 15th April. 

 The State of Victoria retained 4000 salmon ova, of which it is said 

 400 were hatched. The remainder were sent to Tasmania by a 

 Government steamer. They were taken to the Derwent River, and 

 placed in the hatchery provided. Mr Ramsbottom estimated that 

 there were 30,000 salmon and 500 trout ova living. On 4th May 

 the first trout was hatched, on the next day the first salmon, and 

 by 25th May there were 300 trout and 700 salmon. At the end of 1865 

 the surviving salmon were allowed to enter the sea. 



Of the 300 trout many died; about 30 were liberated in the 

 River Plenty, while only six pairs reached maturity and spawned in 

 the ponds. Their progeny have been liberated in many rivers and 

 streams of Tasmania, Victoria, and New Zealand. 



In 1866 Mr Youl brought out 87,000 salmon, 15,000 salmon- 

 trout, and 500 brown-trout ova. The result of this shipment was 6000 

 salmon and 900 salmon-trout being hatched from the 30,000 living 

 ova which arrived. Other shipments followed, including brook-trout. 



