OF THE SALMONIDM. 5 



hold of a ship, where they would be exposed 

 to a temperature ranging between the freez- 

 ing point and 95°, and in the space of three 

 months would experience two winters and a 

 tropical summer ! 



Looking back upon the dark past through 

 the light of present experience, we are apt 

 to lose sight of the steps which have led to 

 knowledge. Thirty years ago there was 

 positively no experience of the conditions 

 under which it was possible to convey the 

 ova of fish long distances. All was tenta- 

 tive, experimental, and uncertain; but we 

 now regard as an interesting but not sur- 

 prising feat the acclimatisation of fish from 

 the West of America in the waters of the 

 East, and vice versa, or the transport of 

 sterlet from the Volga to Scotland. 



It is easy enough to look with compla- 

 cent satisfaction on a finished work, and 

 think nothing of the care, perseverance, 

 and intelligence expended in accomplishing 

 it. Ask the director of the Brighton 

 Aquarium how he brought the octopus, the 

 porpoise, the herrings, the pipe-fish, and 



