30 THE ACCLIMATISATION 



when the dead were picked out. The 

 utmost care was exercised in these delicate 

 operations by Messrs. W. Eamshottom and 

 Allport, and they estimated that 30,000 ova, 

 of which 300 were trout, were living, but of 

 these perhaps 16,000 were unfertilised ; and, 

 though they had maintained their brilliancy 

 for so long a time, and were even then pro- 

 bably capable of fertilisation had any milt 

 been at hand, the embryonic spot never 

 appeared in them. It is worth while to 

 remark that in proportion as the moss was 

 green and fresh the ova were in good con- 

 dition, and wherever it was dead the mor- 

 tality was greatest. The remaining ice 

 was made the most of by placing it in tubs 

 find allowing the stream to flow through it, 

 and then into the troughs. Ninety-one 

 days from their embarkation the bulk of the 

 ova were laid in the waters of the Plenty, 

 but some were set apart as a test for the 

 extreme limit of possible retardation, and 

 these were a hundred and thirty-six days 

 old when immersed. Only two or three, fry 

 were hatched from this lot, although the 



