THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
49 
Company’s mail steamer ; the ova to be obtained from the 
fish-rearing establishment at Stormontfield, on the Tay, 
and to be in the stage when the eyes are visible, as at this 
period they can be carried with the greatest safety. My 
telegram arrived too late, however, for that season. 
' THE SECOND INTRODUCTION OE CALIEORNIAN 
SALMON OVA. 
This was very disheartening, but I still determined to 
persevere, and contemplated going myself to California, 
to superintend the packing and transit, so as to ensure a 
more successful result with another shipment ; but seeing 
in the papers, that the New Zealand Government in- 
tended to import a large quantity of the Californian 
salmon ova, I applied to Mr. Eirth, the President of the 
Auckland Acclimatisation Society, to order for me 50,000 
ova for this colony, to come at the same time as those for 
New Zealand. He very courteously agreed to do so, and 
in due time, the shipment arrived by the Californian mail 
steamer, and was forwarded by Mr. Eirth, with every care 
to Sydney, from which place they were forwarded by Mr. 
Barker, my agent, kindly assisted by Mr. Webster, and 
the ova arrived in Melbourne safely. 
I will here give the account of the experiment, as it 
appeared in the Argus of November 26, 1877 : — 
On the arrival of the ova at Sandridge they were 
removed, and taken by train and waggon, well packed 
on an elastic cushion of straw, and opened at the spring 
on Ercildoune estate, where the hatching-boxes were 
ready for their reception. On the pads covering the 
ice being taken off, a layer of moss, fresh and green as if 
newly gathered, was to be seen covering the ova. On this 
D 
