224 FISHES 



serious mortality set in, and at the end of two days only 20 

 survived. The stock in the ponds increased hovsrever and spawned, 

 for in 1886 1400 fry were turned out, in 1887 over 18,000, and the 

 numbers went on increasing. The Society still liberate several 

 thousand each year, and from the date of their first introduction till 

 31st March, 1915, have sent out to many streams in Otago about 

 800,000 fish. In the Otago Daily Times of loth June, 1891, the fol- 

 lowing statement appeared : 



The fish at Opoho and Clinton are attacked by a disease, which Dr Scott 

 (Professor of Anatomy in Otago University) considered closely corresponded 

 with cancer in mammals. Mr Deans stated that while confined to Salmo 

 fontinaUs in the Otago Society's ponds, it was similar to one which attacked 

 the Rhine trout in the Wairarapa ponds. Dr Scott said it was a fatal 

 and malignant spreading tumour in the throat. 



In 1887 the Southland Society received ova or fry, presumably 

 from Christchurch, and for a few years turned out a few thousand 

 in the Oreti and various tributary streams. Altogether only some 

 33,000 fry have been liberated in Southland. 



The Taranaki Society also got ova from Canterbury in 1887 and 

 liberated 600 young fish in one or two streams. 



The Canterbury Society up to 19 15 had liberated about 175,000 

 young fish. The Wellington Society up to 1899 had liberated about 

 700,000. 



Salmo fontinalis has not thriven as was expected by those who 

 introduced it, for it is a smaller species than most of the others and is 

 not able to compete against them. 



Mr Stevens of the Clinton Hatchery tells me that there are a 

 number of small streams in Central Otago in which this species 

 thrives, but there are no brown trout among them. He says : 



I have liberated thousands of these fish — both fry and yearlings — ^but 

 seldom hear of any being caught by anglers. I have no hesitation in saying 

 the tendency is for these fish to disappear from streams already stocked 

 with Brown Trout. 



In the upper waters of the Hedgehope stream which rises in Bushy 

 Park Station in Southland this species is found in abundance, but 

 it is in sole possession. It is also found in a small stream called the 

 Back Creek on the east side of the Blue Mountains in Otago. 



The Hawera Society liberated 5000 fish in their district in 1890, 

 but resolved in the foUovring year to get no more, but to devote 

 their attention to brown and rainbow trout. 



A small number were liberated in the Rotorua district in 1890. 

 In the Horohoro stream, a small tributary of the Waikato, they did 

 so well that in about five years they afforded capital sport, many 



