lieber  du*  Acelimatis.il  ion  der  Sahuoneer  in  Australien  und  Neu-Seelaud. 
367 
einziger  Lachs  gesehen  worden,  freilich  wird  man  deshalb  nicht  be- 
haupten können,  dass  gar  keine  Rückkehr  dieser  Fische  stattgefunden 
habe;  es  wäre  ja  möglich,  dass  eine  bedeutende  Anzahl  dieser  Lachse 
im  Derwent  anwesend  gewesen  sein  könnte,  ohne  dass  sie  bemerkt 
worden  seien1).« 
»Im  Monat  Januar  1867  wurden  der  Stadt  New-Norfolk  gegenüber 
wirklich  grosse  unbekannte  Fische  bemerkt,  woraus  die  Commission 
keine  bestimmten  Schlüsse  zieht,  da  jene  Gegend  auch  von  gewissen 
Salzwasserfischen  besucht  wird.  Uebrigens  werden  diese  weder  so 
gross  wie  ein  Lachs  oder  ,,Grilse(t  (ein  Lachs,  der  zum  ersten  Male 
aus  dem  Meere  zuriickkehrt),  noch  springen  sie  über  die  Oberfläche 
de s Wassers,  wie  es  jene  beobachteten  unbekannten  Fische  thaten2).« 
»Am  14.  Februar  erschien  nun  wirklich  ein  Lachs,  der  unzweifel- 
haft als  solcher  erkannt  wurde,  an  einer  Stelle  des  Derwent,  welche 
mehrere  englische  Meilen  oberhalb  des  weitesten  Vordringens  der  Salz- 
wasserfluth  gelegen  war3).  Ein  ganz  ähnliches  Erscheinen  eines  er- 
wachsenen Lachses  ereignete  sich  am  2!.  und  28.  Februar  im  Flusse 
Derwent,  das  eine  Mal  zwei  Meilen,  das  andere  Mal  noch  eine  dritte 
Meile  weiter  flussaufwärts4).« 
1)  S.  denselben  Raport:  »The  first  detachement  ofthese,  as  has  just  been  mentio- 
ned , left  the  ponds  in  the  form  of  Smolts  in  October  -1865  ; and,  according  io  the  opinion 
of  mang  eminent  pisciculturists,  a porlion  of  ihem  ought  to  have  returned  from  the  sea 
about  the  end  of  fne  same  or  the  beginning  of  the  following  year,  after  an  absence  of 
from  2 to  4 months.  Not  one,  however,  as  far  as  the  Commissioners  are  aware , was 
seen,  or  even  reported  to  have  been  seen,  in  the  Derwent  about  that  period.  Upon  this 
rnerely  regative  and  superficial  evidence,  however , the  Commissioners  cannot  take  upon 
fhemselves  io  say  that  none  returned.  It  is  quite  possible  that  considerable  numbers  of 
ihem  may  have  been  present  in  the  river  withhout  haviny  been  observed  by  any  owe.« 
2)  S.  ebenda:  »In  the  month  ofJanuary  of  the  present  year  (1867)  some  large 
and  stränge  fish,  neuer  before  observed  by  them,  were  seen  to  leap  in  the  Derwent  op- 
positc  the  Town  of  New  Norfolk,  by  several  residente  of  the  highest  respectability ; hut 
as  various  kinds  of  saltwater  fish  occasionally  visit  this  pari  of  the  river,  although  far 
inferior  in  size  to  a Salmon  or  Grilse,  and  of  which  none  have  ever  been  kno'ipn  to  rise 
above  the  surface  of  the  water,  the  Commissioners  refrained  from  drawing  any  positive 
conclusion  from  These  observations , although  the  parties  by  whom  They  were  made  and 
reported  were  worthy  of  every  trust .« 
3)  Ebenda:  »But  on  the  14.  Febrüary  unquestionable  evidence  of  the  presence  of 
the  returned  Salmon  in  the  river  was  afforded  by  a parly  of  Gentlernen  of  the  first 
Standing  in  the  Community , by  whom , whilst  riding  close  along  the  bank  of  the  Der- 
went, near  a place  called  the  ,,Dry  Creek“ , several  miles  beyond  the  re  ach  of  The  Gde, 
and  above  several  rapids,  a large  fish  was  twice  seen  to  leap  from  the  water , which 
was  afterwards  observed  gliäing  under  the  surface  for  some  distance , and  was  at  once 
recognized  as  a Salmon  by  one  of  The  parly  familiär  ly  acquainted  in  Ireland  with  the 
aepearance  and  motions  ofthat  fish.« 
4)  Ebenda  : »On  the  21 . Febrüary,  2 miles  above  the  spot  last  mentioned , a large 
