GENERAL NOTES, 575 
clear but shallow place in the creek. In a quiet part of the water, 
where their movements were readily discernible, were some fresh- 
hatched brook or mountain trout; and circling about over the water 
was a small swarm of mosquitoes. The trout were very young, still 
having the pellucid sack puffing out from the region of the gills, with 
the rest of their body almost transparent when they would swim into a 
portion of the water that was lighted up by direct sunshine. Every 
few minutes these baby trout—for what purpose I do not know, unless 
to get the benefit of more air—would come to the surface of the water, 
so that the top of their head was level with the surface of the water. 
When this was the case, a mosquito would alight, and immediately 
transfix the trout by inserting his proboscis, or bill, into the brain of 
the fish which seemed incapable of escaping. The mosquito would hold 
his victim steady until he had extracted all the life juices ; and when 
this was accomplished. and he flew away, the dead trout. would turn 
over on his back, and float down the stream. I was so interested in 
this before unheard-of destruction of fish, that I watched the depreda- 
tions of these mosquitoes for more than half-an-hour; and in that time 
over twenty trout were sucked dry, and their lifeless shells sent floating 
away with the current. It was the only occasion that I was ever 
witness to the fact, and I have been unable by inquiry to ascertain if 
others have observed a similar destruction of fish. I am sure the fish 
were trout, as the locality was quite near the snow-line, and the water 
very cold, and no other fish were in the stream at that altitude. From 
this observation, I am satisfied that great numbers of trout, and perhaps 
infant fish of other varieties in clear waters, must come to their death 
in this way; and, if the fact has not been heretofore recorded, it is 
important to those interested in pisciculture.” 
OTaco ACCLIMATISATION SocieTy.— This society has recently 
suffered a most grevious loss in the death of its much-esteemed Hon. 
Secretary. Mr. Wm. Arthur. Mr. Arthur was Chief Surveyor of Otago, 
but his name is widely known not only in New Zealand, but also in 
Australia and the old country as an enthusiastic pisciculturist. The 
great success achieved by the Otago Society in the past was largely due 
to Mr. Arthur’s untiring energy. The Council, at the first meeting 
after his death, elected Mr. Jas. Wilkie to the vacant position. At 
their new property near Clinton, the Society are going in for the con- 
struction of breeding-ponds, which will enable them to undertake fish- 
hatching on a larger scale than has hitherto been attempted in New 
Zealand. In addition to this important work they are endeavouring to 
obtain the introduction of hedgehogs, as harmless insectivorous animals 
are much needed. An attempt is also being made, in conjunction with 
the other Acclimatisation Societies of the South Island, to influence the 
Government to introduce the Chamois. The visit of Prof. J. von Haast 
to Europe as Special Commissioner for New Zealand to the Indian and 
Colonial Exhibition, offers a most favourable opportunity to obtain 
these animals, and it is hoped that it will be taken advantage of. The 
higher Alps are useless for sheep or any other similar purpose, but they 
would probably suit the Chamois to perfection, and the occurrence of 
these animals in our mountains would prove an attraction to sportsmen 
and would in this way benefit the country at large. The cost of intro- 
ducing them is beyond the resources of any one of the local societies, 
hence the endeavour to move the Government to undertake the work. 
