THE CALIFORNIAN SALMON. 
139 
easily into tlie bay . Similarly, a freshet will help them up 
again when they want to return to the head waters of the 
river. So much more important must it be, to domesticate 
the salmon close to the metropolis, than in the distant 
rivers of G-ipps Land, that the few thousand fry risked in 
the present experiment, may be considered well laid out. 
If success crowns the undertaking, the river will become 
well stocked in the course of a few years.” 
The following is a very interesting letter from Mr. 
Arthur King, who very generously undertook the task of 
conveying 4000 salmon fry to the Latrobe River. That 
he was not more successful was certainly from no want of 
care or attention on his part, as his letter shows that he 
did not shrink from any hardships in carrying out his 
undertaking. I had intended to have accompanied Mr. 
King, but my Parliamentary duties prevented my doing so. 
I inspected the fish at Spencer-street, on their arrival 
from Burrumbeet, and saw at once that they were not 
doing well, and that many were dead, and others floating 
on their sides in a sickly state. I at once concluded that 
they had not had sufficient air, and on trying the bellows 
and tube, found them to work but poorly, although they 
were not altogether inefficient. I then used the garden 
syringe vigorously for ten minutes, but did not see the 
usual revival take place, which generally follows when the 
fish have been suffering from want of oxygen, and I could 
not make out the cause. I am satisfied that there was no 
want of care in aerating the water in transit. It appeared, 
however, that the train was very crowded, and some six or 
seven passengers had got into the van with the salmon 
cans, and that they were smoking while the bellows was 
being used. I am quite certain that the nicotine poison in 
the fumes of the tobacco, and nothing else, was the cause 
of the loss of these 2500 salmon fiy. 
