ACCLIMATISATION OF SALMON. TO THE EDITOR

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 141, 15 June 1906, Page 2

ACCLIMATISATION OF SALMON. TO THE EDITOR

Sir, — I notice a paragraph in the Post of ■ Friday last stating that Mr. L. F. I Ayeon reports seven additional quinnnt salmon to have been caught in the Hakataramea river, where the fish ars spawning ; that there is no doubt as to the identity of the fish; and it is thus established that the quinnat salmon has, after many years of endeavour, been acclimatised here. Mr. Aygon seems to have settled the species of this fish oShand. I would like to refer to the shipment of trout by the Oamaru society received at Home in July, 1905, by the editor of the Field. In the report on thu fish, the Field of 13th July, 1905, said the fact of going to sea and reappearing in fresh-water rivers pointed to the habits of the true salmon. There ivas a discussion in the pages of the Field on the nature of the iish, and it was suggested that these fish had acquired new habits and character, and •should be designated by the scientific term of "Salmo australis." To give the home experts an opportunity of examining the fish, the Oamaru Society sent a case by the s.s. Matatua. The case was forwarded to Dr. Gunther and Mr. Bou? lenger at the National History Mnseuni,\ w 1 p re they remain for future reference Ij. rved in spirits. I Six fish were sent Home. Of the number five were undoubtedly "Salmo fario." One specimen was exceedingly interesting. it was caught in the Waitaki River by Mr. Dennison and presented to the society by the Hon. John M'Lean, of Redeastle — length 29in, girth 15in, weight 9|lbs. It obviously differed widely from all the others; the form of the operculum, the large number of scales along -the lateral line, 128 in number, the numEer N t>f scales from the adipose fin to' the lateral line, and the general shape, ' indicated a different species.' The specimen was a female with well-de-veloped ova. It wys not the English "Salmo sala," but undoubtedly an American species, but which one has not yet been decided. As ova of at least one of the Pacific salmon have been hatched at the Antipodes, this fish is no doubt a Californian, and we regard it as a most important and interesting fact in connect tion with the oft-disputed point, salmon or no salmon. Mr. Ernest De Latour, writing from Gisborne in 1904, in regard to the claim that the "Salmo quianat" had established itself, says: "Now, does this throw any light on the identity of the greenback? I havo caught them and know them to have been caught for about fifteen or sixteen years. At first they

were called Californian salmon and "Salmo quinnat," but from the number of scales it was thought they were not true salmon. The name was dropped, and. they got the name of greenback." Mr. Ayson seems to have settled that the fish taken in the Hakataramea b a quinnat. From the discription given in the Field as to length and weight, ?.pd number of scales, it answers fairly well to our greenback ; but as Dr. Gunther and Mr. Boulenger could only decide th&t it »vas not "Salmo saia," but an American 6pecics, 1 am still in doubt as to want the greenback ls. The question we want settled is, what spacies of the "Salmonidaf" the greenback is. Dr. Moorhouse says it is not a salmon. Now, is the "Salmo quinnat" a sdmon, or, like the steelhead trout of the Pacilic Coast, wrongly called a salmon '! As Mr. Ayson can identify the quinnat, and probably the fish caught by Sir. Dennison in the Wataki was the same fish as those caught in the Hakataramea, and the same as the greenback of the<Rakaia, Ashburton, and Rangitata, m,,y be able to get a supply of ova and fry. There is no doubt the greenback is the best fish >ye have f-.ir sport or table, and the one that should be propogiited. The only difference I , see is in the habit of the quinnat described by Mr. Ayson, and the greenback. I I have never heard of the greenback being taken over a mile up the river from the sea, and the Huki>ti<rnmea is a long way up. But if the fish are identical, it is already well established, and if fry c. be obtained it should be largely increased. I shall take a greenback to "the conferI ence in Wellington, which may throwsome light on the question. — I am, etc., I A. H. SIIURY. Ashburton, 11th June.