39 
more or less continued, thus precluding all hope of any of the fish 
being seen in its waters without capture. 
The salmon have shown no disposition to enter tire Plenty for the 
purpose of finding a spawning ground, but have preferred to remain 
in the larger stream of the Derwent, towards the sources of which, as in 
European rivers, they have probably proceeded in search of a suitable 
locality as the birthplace of their young. 
Had some of the fish, as expected, entered the Plenty, their capture 
would have been easy, and the Commissioners would thus have been 
enabled, in accordance with then - anxious desire, to have added the 
proof of handling to that of seeing. 
They believe, however, that the evidence of the return of the salmon 
as above recorded is complete and irrefragable, and must soon be 
confirmed by their actual cajituro, for which the Commissioners have 
been furnished with all necessary appliances. 
If the opinion that a portion of the first body of smolts that proceed 
to the sea return as grilse within a period of from two to four months 
from the date of their departure he correct, it follows that some of the 
fish now in the Derwent have already twice visited the sea ; and that 
those seen in the river during the past seven months comprised both 
grilse and salmon. 
And if a part of the young smolts that set out on their second journey 
in October, 1605, thus returned during the siunmer and autumn of 
I860, they must also have spawned during the winter of that year, aud 
their young must now be in the Derwent hi the shape of parr, ready in 
a month hence to assume the character of smolts, and in their turn to 
seek a temporary sojourn in the salt water. 
But, even if this view should be incorrect, and all the young fish 
should have remained in the salt water for sixteen months, instead of 
from two to four months, there can be no doubt that a large number of 
ova have been deposited in the present season soon to become living 
fish, and add many thousands to the family now occupying the river. 
When the Commissioners shall have been enabled to introduce the 
salmon into some of the smaller rivers of the colony, such as the South 
Esk, the Mersey, and many others, they will have no difficulty in 
ascertaining with accuracy tho exact period of the stay of these fish in 
the salt water, thus solving a question which lias long been, and still is, 
a subject of contention among pisciculturists. 
The Commissioners believe that there arc few rivers approaching the 
size of the Derwent where so small a number of enemies dangerous to 
the life of tho yomig salmon arc to ho found. Eels, and the small fish 
locally called mullet, which seldom attain a weight of more than half a 
pound with some predaceous birds, are the only foes against which they 
will have to contend in the fresh waters of that stream. 
With respect to the mullet, it is a singular and perhaps fortunate fact 
that, although they had previously been abundant in all parts of the 
Derwent above the influence of tho tide, in the year 1865 they almost 
totally disappeared from the river and its tributaries. 
In that year the Commissioners reported that a disease of an 
epidemic character had appeared in the ponds, by which from 50 to 
60 young salmon and a few of the trout were carried off, aud that a 
great number of the native muUett had at the same tune perished 
apparently from tho same cause. It was afterwards discoveied that this 
malady had operated so severely ou the native fish that the mullet had 
almost entirely disappeared from the river, and a few stragglers of 
