OF THE SALMONIDJE. 107 



should not become a home for some of the 

 SalmonidcB, and the tarns and lakes of New 

 Zealand should be full of trout. But let 

 the colonists see that no young salmon or 

 salmon-trout are turned into rivers where 

 trout are already established, as there is 

 reason to fear has been done in some in- 

 stances, for few, if any, will escape the 

 voracious jaws of their brown cousins and 

 reach the sea. It is doubtful even whether 

 the attempt to introduce the Pacific coast 

 salmon into New Zealand was wise until 

 the establishment of the better species was 

 assured, and it would be the worst economy 

 to withhold sufficient funds for adequate 

 protection of the imported fish, as has 

 hitherto been the disposition of the colonial 

 legislatures. 



Sir E. Officer, dating his letter December 

 27, 1877, thus writes to Mr. Youl— 



" The chief object of my now writing is 

 to communicate a fact which I think you 

 will — as I have done — ^regard as the crown- 

 ing event in the lengthened history of our 

 undertaking. The salmon have during the 



