TELEOSTEI 



225 



fish of 4 lb. and even 5 lb. in weight being secured with the minnow. 

 Unfortunately some years later a flood of exceptional severity swept 

 everything before it down the valley of the Horohoro, including nearly 

 all the trout, and so few were subsequently caught or seen, that in 

 1899 the stream was restocked with rainbow trout by Mr Dansey. 

 Mr Wilfred Howell of Cave, near Timaru, sends me the following 

 interesting facts about S.fontinalis in South Canterbury (Aug. 191 6). 



This fish was turned out in the Pareora a good many years ago. In this 

 river there is a dam for the Timaru water-works, which it is impossible 

 for fish to climb, as there is no fish-ladder. Fontinalis were, as far as I 

 know, turned in both above and below this dam. Below the dam, with 

 the exception of three holes just above the falls, there is no sign of these 

 fish. The habit of the fish is apparently to go up stream as far as they can 

 go. At the head waters, up the hills, all the bush creeks are full of them. 

 In fact all streams running into the Pareora have them after they reach 

 the bush. I have caught them up to 3 lbs. weight, but they mostly run 

 about 8 or 9 inches. They also occur in the Hinds river about thirty 

 or forty miles above Ashburton, but also only in the head-water creeks, 

 and only when there is plenty of cover. In my opinion these fish will not 

 spread on account of their habit of always climbing up stream. 



I am of opinion that they occasionaily cross with the Brown Trout; 

 I have caught fish that gave me the impression that they were certainly 

 hybrids. 



As far as sport is concerned I think that Fontinalis are a failure; they 

 are too easily caught. They will take almost anything from a red leaf 

 pulled through the water to a minnow. They will take meat, part of 

 another fish's gill, and any fiy with much red hackle on it. When hooked 

 they have only one good run in them, and then you can pull them wherever 

 you want them. 



^ In the Bulletin of the U.S. Fish Conunission for 1887 (vol. vil), in a paper 

 on "American Fish cuhivated by the National Fish Culture Association of England," 

 by W. Oldham Chambers, the following statement is made regarding this species: 

 " It is with reluctance that we omit from this list the American brook trout, Sahno 

 fontinalis, which has had an excellent chance of asserting its qualifications for 

 introduction into our group of Salmonidee, but has failed to do so, except in confined 

 waters. Its first appearance in this country was heralded with jubilant anticipations ; 

 its capacities for rapid growth were hailed as a good omen, and its gorgeous dress 

 and graceful form won golden opinions from all piscatorial classes, who willingly 

 paid large sums of money for what was then considered the coming trout. Gradually, 

 however, its true character appeared, and now it is universally regarded as a fish 

 not to be depended upon. No authority rebuts the evidence forthcoming as to 

 its suitabiUty to British waters, if inclosed, nor as to its value as an addition to our 

 fresh-water fish. The sole cause, and a very grave cause it is, for its denunciation 

 is that it escapes from those places where it is turned in. Before finally discarding 

 this unique char it behoves us to question more closely than we have yet done its 

 habits, instincts, and the nature of its native home, in order to render it full justice. 

 Probaijly the waters in which it has been placed have not been suitable, and this 

 assumption certainly seems justified by the fact of the fish wandering as it does. 

 The question naturally arises as to where it goes. Does it find suitable places in 

 its wanderings ? Does it descend to the sea, or does it pine and perish for lack of 

 natural conditions ? If death explains the mystery, which is hardly likely, we have 

 at once a solution ; but if not, it is difficult to say what has become of the thousands 



T. N. Z. 15 



