234 APPENDIX. 



Great numbers of migratory species have been 

 captured by means of grab-all nets in the estuary 

 of the Derwent, one of which was estimated by its 

 captor to have weighed at least 10 lbs. It is 

 unfortunate that this specimen was not preserved 

 for examination, as its capture was effected below 

 Droughty Point, almost at the entrance of the 

 river ; and as no pronounced specimen of Salmo 

 solar of that weight had previously been caught, it 

 would have been very satisfactory to have known 

 the true character of the fish in question. 



In October, as in former years, Smolts again 

 made their appearance in the Eiver Plenty on 

 their way to sea ; but in consequence of the diver- 

 sion of the river by flood, the numbers which 

 entered the shoots leading to the Ponds were less 

 than on former occasions. Your Commissioners 

 have caused some of these fish to be retained in a 

 special pond, in the hope that they will deposit 

 Ova, and thus enable their progeny to be placed 

 in other rivers of the Colony. Should the experi- 

 ment prove successful there wUl be no difficulty in 

 rapidly stocking other rivers with migratory 

 salmonids. 



It has been observed when captured migratory 

 species are introduced into our breeding ponds and 

 permanently retained there, that at first, during 

 the migratory season, they make considerable 



