OF THE SALMONID.E. 47 



a careless sailor. The shipments to New- 

 Zealand had been discouraging, no doubt, 

 but the inferiority of accommodation for 

 the ova and young fish, in comparison with 

 that in Tasmania, must be taken into con- 

 sideration. 



However, in January, 1873, another con- 

 signment was made to Otago, New Zea- 

 land, in the Oheron, of about 150,000 ova 

 collected from England, Scotland, and Ire- 

 land, and fertilised by those who carried out 

 this part of the operation on former occasions, 

 and among these many presented the yellow 

 •colour of death, but the lot was of average 

 quality. I was present during the greater 

 part of the time the packing was done by 

 Mr. Youl, and had an opportunity of seeing 

 "the extreme care and attention bestowed 

 Tipon every detail. The weather was excep- 

 tionally warm, and it is probable that the 

 organic changes in the ovum towards 

 development, which take place about three 

 days after fertilisation, had already begun, 

 and the sudden change from the temperature 

 of the air at 60° Fahr. to that of the ice- 



