470 Australian Naturalists. 



for renting " Betsy's Island" from Lady Franklin's agent, 

 in order to convert it into a nnrsery for game. Efforts have 

 also been made, but as yet without success, to introduce the 

 Guramie from the Mauritius, where it has the reputation of 

 being the best pond fish in the world. Captain Lowrie, 

 addressing the president of the Acclimatization Society, said that 

 he obtained about 300 of these fish, most of them being very 

 young, but about fifty from three to eight inches long. These 

 specimens were divided between an aquarium, furnished by 

 Mr. Jones of the Argus, and a seasoned water-cask, hung upon 

 gimbals, each in a skylight. During the first days (the ship 

 sailed on the 19th of January) a good many of the small fry 

 died in the aquarium, but none in the cask. Having provided 

 .abundance of fresh water, about five gallons a day were removed 

 from the cask and replaced, and the fish were supplied with a 

 little bran, which the captain says they eat. After getting to 

 sea, those in the aquarium died quickly, while the inhabitants 

 of the cask continued well. Every five days the whole of the 

 water was changed, and air was pumped into the water every 

 hour. On the eleventh day a S.W. gale arose, and the tempera- 

 ture fell to 60°. In the morning all those in the aquarium were 

 dead, except about half a dozen of the largest, which were 

 removed to the cask, whose inhabitants had not been diminished 

 to the extent of five per cent. On the 18th and 19th of 

 February another S.W. gale came, and lowered the tempera- 

 ture to 57°, and by the morning all the finny passengers had 

 perished. Captain Lowrie thinks that on another voyage he may 

 manage to transport the Guramies safely, if he employs a stove 

 to prevent the temperature falling below 70°, but if they should 

 arrive safely in Australia, it is by no means clear that they 

 would thrive in any but the warmest spots. 



