OF THE SALM0N1D.E. 41 



knowledge. The subject was discussed by 

 portions of the press and private persons 

 with amusing self-confidence and presump- 

 tion, and a great deal of ink was spent 

 in discussions chiefly remarkable for bad 

 natural history. Sir Eobert Officer, chairman 

 of the Salmon Fisheries Commission, and 

 Mr. Morton Allport, both familiar with the 

 characters and habits of the salmon family, 

 paid great attention to the behaviour of the 

 imprisoned salmon-trout, and here are their 

 ifsissima verba, from the official report, 

 dated September 2, 1869 : "In April last it 

 was discovered that some of the fish were 

 gravid with spawn, and on the 26th of June 

 the first pair began to form nests and de- 

 posit and fructify their ova in the small rill 

 attached to their pond. Other pairs soon 

 began the same operation, and the pro- 

 cess was complete about the end of July 

 — the Tasmanian mid-winter, it must be 

 recollected — resulting in the production of 

 several thousand healthy ova." This is in- 

 controvertible, and it may be added that it 

 has taken place each successive year since, 



