MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 37 
considerably from the length of time he had to play them with a 
very light rod. I have frequently observed, however, that the 
fattest trout when caught have very little or nothing in their 
stomachs, and itis a circumstance hard to explain. I have like- 
wise pretty often found a trout’s mouth full on landing it, and its 
stomach also. When a trout is, further, hooked by the tongue or 
any fleshy part of the mouth it seems to close its jaws firmly as if 
in a vice, for I have seen them almost locked on landing them. 
On the other hand, when the hook gets among the branchial 
arches, or made fast to the gullet, I should expect vomiting to 
result, and I have seen this repeatedly in such circumstances. As 
to deducing an average per day from the number of trout and 
and of the weight from these two nights’ fishing in the Kakanui, I 
feel convinced it is unnecessary, as the take was evidently very 
exceptional. 
‘“‘Tchthyologists teach that as regards the structure of fish, 
fresh water forms are distinguished by the absence of ceca, or, 
when present, the small number of these organs—while marine 
and migratory fish as arule have numerous ceca. Now what evi- 
dence do our favio; give, or rather I should say, applying to our trout 
for such contribution as their limited circumstances can afford to 
our knowledge on this point, I cannot find that the theory is sup- 
ported as yet, our brown trout having as many ceca as sea trout. 
Neither is there evidence that the superabundance of food here 
has resulted in the rise of ceca during the past five years or pre- 
viously. By referring to my first paper of 1878, it will be seen 
that the mean number for all the trout examined was 48°3, while 
now the number is for females 47°3, and for males 48:7, Thus itis 
plain the normal average number of caca is neither on the in- 
crease or the decrease in our waters—whatever may be said of 
their range varying. Jwact anf) muimong.eieht,female troutisom 
various rivers, in weight from 1lb. to 23lbs., the ceca ranged from 
33 to 55, with a mean of 42°5 in number; and among fourteen 
females from 3lbs. to rolbs. in weight, the ceca ranged from 44 
to 61, with a mean number of 50:5. Now, Dr. Giinther’s largest 
trout was 15 inches, which at Home means a trout of about the 
Same age as any 24Ib. trout, while the approximate mean. number 
(42°5) of the czca given by him, 38 to 47, is exactly the same as 
the mean number here for trout of the corresponding age. . . . 
And there is another principle which seems to have something 
to do with the number of these organs. The ceca of the trout 
which had 61 were unusually small, not over one inch in length, 
while those of trout having 40 to 46 were large—in the latter from 
half an inch to two and a-half inches long. If subsequent re- 
searches bear me out in these facts, then it will be tolerably evi- 
dent that while their number and size are exceedingly variable, 
there probably is a fixed relation between the extent of the ab- 
ee surface of the pylorics and the weight or age of the trout 
itself.” 
(2.) ‘‘ Notes on Olearia hectori,” by D. Petrie, M.A. 
The author described the species in some detail, and gave a 
list of localities where it occurs in Otago. The plant forms an 
elegant shrub, suitable for hedges, and produces numerous clusters 
of small yellowish flower-heads, which are deliciously scented like 
ripe peaches, 
