68 
THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
In a recent number of Nature , a valuable scientific publi- 
cation, Mr. G-eorge Francis, in a paper dated Adelaide, 
May 11th, 1878, states that the river Murray has this 
season been very low, and the water unusually warm. The 
stream running into Lake Alexandria was very slight, the 
temperature of the water being 74 deg. The surface of 
the Lake on calm days rose to 76 deg., and the bottom 
temperature was 73 deg. In a stiff* breeze the water stood 
at 72 deg. As these temperatures do not exceed those 
which are found in the waters of the Sacramento river, in 
all probability the Californian salmon would be well able 
to stand the heat of the waters of the Murray. Last 
summer was unusually dry and hot, and it is probable that 
the volume of the stream of the Murray had reached its 
minimum, and the temperature of the water its maximum, 
and that a more unfavourable time for testing it could 
scarcely be found. There is nothing in these temperatures 
to discourage the proposed experiment, but, on the con- 
trary, they are not so high as those which the Californian 
salmon endures in its native waters ; and this fact is a 
strong argument in favour of the undertaking, which I 
would earnestly recommend to the favourable consideration 
of the G-overnments of the three colonies which are 
interested in the matter. 
COLLECTING THE OVA. 
The ova of salmon, trout, and of many other fish, when 
deposited in the natural gravel beds, in nests made by the 
fish, and which are called redds, can be collected and carried 
to a distance, to be used in stocking other waters. This is 
the plan adopted at Huningue, the great French fish- 
rearing establishment, which has now, however, changed 
