OF THE SALM0NID2E. 85 



porpoises, when an observer threw a billet 

 of wood at them, and disabled one, which 

 was secured, and found to be a finely de- 

 veloped Salmo solar of 4^ lbs. weight. From 

 these facts the abundance of fish in the 

 locality may be inferred, and the youth of 

 some of them is conclusive as to their being 

 native born, while the full development of 

 others is indicative of suitable conditions 

 of life. The breeding ponds on the Plenty 

 have been the nursery and centre of distri- 

 bution for the other colonies. They are 

 admirably arranged on an artificial stream 

 forming a loop with the river, and cover 

 about three and a half acres. During the 

 years 1873, 1874, 1875, and 1876, nearly 

 two thousand salmon-trout ova and four 

 hundred fry (the produce of the prisoners) 

 have been distributed to streams in Tas- 

 mania, New Zealand, and Victoria, and 

 33,850 trout ova and fry to suitable streams 

 in Tasmania, New Zealand, Victoria, New 

 South Wales, and Western Australia, thus 

 covering the whole colonial area — a work 

 most creditable to the energy and public 



