196 APPENDIX. 



Avould be immediately stayed by the removal of the 

 still living Ova from their late unnatural home to 

 the waters of the Pond. It was scarcely to be 

 doubted that in many the process of decay had 

 already begun, although not to be detected by the 

 eye. The Commissioners were further aware, from 

 their own experience as well as from that of all 

 Piscicultm-ists in Europe, that a considerable reduc- 

 tion has always to be made on account of imperfect 

 fecundation, against which no care or skill can 

 fully provide. 



Among the Ova imported by the Commissioners 

 in 1864, it was found that 16,000 were thus barren, 

 and out of our recent importation 10,000 at least 

 have been ultimately found to be in the same 

 condition. 



The number of Ova, therefore, received at the 

 Ponds capable, under any circumstances, of produc- 

 ing living fish was reduced to 30,000. 



From these 30,000 Ova that had travelled over 

 half the circumference of the Globe before they 

 reached our Ponds, and had been unnaturally 

 immersed in their little wooden prisons for 104 

 days, we have obtained about 7000 healthy young 

 fish, consisting of 6000 Salmon and 1000 sea Trout 

 — a number not only large in itself, but represent- 

 ing a percentage not very far short of that attained 

 at Henningen, the best conducted Fish-breeding 



