TELEOSTEI 235 



quinnatwere liberated in the Hakataramea, while in 1905 the numbers 

 set free were 448 four-year old, 12,000 one-year old, 224,252 eight- 

 months old, and 162,613 three-months old. In December, 1905, a 

 fish believed to be a salmon was caught in the Waitaki and submitted 

 to Sir James Hector, who said it was a true salmon grilse, probably 

 belonging to Onchorhynchus quinnat, but he Was unable to determine 

 the species with certainty at that early stage. 



In 1906 another shipment of 500,000 ova was procured from the 

 United States, Mr L. F. Ayson going to San Francisco for them. 

 Half of these were taken to Lake Ohau, and 245,000 fry hatched out, 

 which were liberated as soon as they absorbed the yolk sac. The other 

 half were equally successful at Hakataramea, 224,833 fry hatching 

 out. In addition to the foregoing there were liberated in the Hakata- 

 ramea River 73 five-year-old, 12,587 two-year-old, and 53,378 one- 

 year-old fish. 



On 6th June, 1906, Sir James Hector received a fish from Haka- 

 taramea of which he wrote: "The fish sent is a true Pacific Salmon 

 {Onchorhynchtis quinnat), being a female of about 16 lbs. weight." On 

 29th June he reported on three more fish from the same river. One 

 was a male, 25 in. long, weighing 6 lb., the second a female 22 in. 

 long, and 5 J lb. in weight; and the third (probably only a three- 

 year-old fish) was 17 in. long, and only i J lb. in weight. He thought 

 it probable that all these fish, which were all in bad condition when 

 received, belonged to O. quinnat. Both the Secretary of the Waitaki 

 Society and the Collector of Customs at Oamaru stated that fish, 

 supposed to be salmon, had been taken in the Waitaki and in Oamaru 

 harbour by fishermen; those identified by Sir James Hector being 

 of the number. These captures seemed to establish the fact that the 

 fish were now returning to the river to spawn, and that the naturalisa- 

 tion of the species was secured. 



In 1907 Mr Ayson again went over to San Francisco and brought 

 back 500,000 ova, which reached Hakataramea on 8th April; and 

 from these 482,000 fry hatched out. During the year 62 three-year-old, 

 21,282 two-year-old, and 224,647 one-year-old fish were Hberated 

 in the Hakataramea River ; and later in the year 290,000 fry. 



The report of the Marine Department for 1906-7 states that: 



this year, fish which are undoubtedly Quinnat salmon have been caught 

 in the Hakataramea River, up which they are going to spawn; and the 

 Manager of the Salmon Station reports that he has seen large numbers of 

 them in the river. 



During May and June the manager obtained 30,000 ova, the first 

 taken in New Zealand from these fish, from which about 25,000 fry 

 were obtained; of these 17,000 were liberated in the river. In 



