OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6869, 21 February 1884, Page 4

OTAGO ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

A meeting of tho Council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society was held in the Government Buildings on Tuesday last. Present': Messrs J. P. Maitland (chairman), A, C. Begg R. Chisholm, W. C. Smith, G. P. Clifford, w! Arthur (hon. sec), and F. Deans (manager), LOOK LKVEN TROUT. The Secretahy reported the successful introduction'of Loch Leven trout ova by the s.s. Aorn'ngi, recently arrived at Wellington, under Mr Stoddart's charge. MANAOEII'S ItEl'Olll'. The following report was read : — To the Chairman and Members of tho Council. Gentlemen,—l beg to report that tho brown trout at the Opoho hatching-ponds fiom last yoar's hatch arc liow abjut 20 weeks old, and strong and vigorous. I believe thero aio close 0:1 30,0 m . . I have also much pleasure in reporting the success of another shipment of Loch Loven trout ova. On January ii I received from Mr P. F. Stoddart-who took charge of tho ova f.om London to Otago via Wellington a box of ova containing two traya of good eggs, two trays of eggs which were with few exceptions all bad, and two ompty taya. 11 r Stoddart, on his anival at Wollimrton per s.s. Aorangi, repacked two of tha trays in tho iccworks there, which must have greatly contributed to their sucecsj. The contents of these trays woro placed in the hatching-boxo3 at OjJoho on tho above datr, and two days after they began to hatch and by February 3 they were all hatched. Bcforo placing tho Ova in tho water, tho temperature of which was 55 dcir. Kahr, I reduced it to 48 dog. with a supply of |co which, by Mr T. Bryflone's kind permission, I got manufactured on board the ship Marlbjrougb, when it was allowed to rise gradually to its former temperaturo, which has up to date ranged from 5030 to 58, the latter occurring last night.' I am now happy to Btate thcro arp.about 1700 lively and healthy altvitia. tut of the two trays cf bad eggs, I got about 30 apparently gocd ones, nllhough they did not show tho embryo, but from the'position of iho oil globules I iump to the conclusion that they bad been impregnated, which ha? proved to be the caso, but tho*o tew aro not doing well, ami I have- no bopo.i of any hatching. Tin; boxes containing tbo ova wore of the same convenient size and description as those received from Sir J. G. Maitland on foimcr occasions, and Iho ova were packed in his usual cartful manner, alihou,'h, had the ovi boon uiore thinly dittributed amongst tho moss inste.nl of being in denso tiers, tho results might have been even more satisfactory.

I may state that I have reared a brood of »atorfowl—a cross between the ruddy shloldtake and our native paradite duck. Thire are six of them. I think

there am t.voiualea ami four fomiloo, which may bo useful in t,!ie way of exchanging with kindred socletw.3. -1 am, &«., F. Df.anj. February 12,1831. VOTE OF THANKS. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Clifford, seconded by Mr JJkcso—"That tho thanks of the Society bo eunyoyed by the secretary to Mr Stoddart for his care and attention to the Loiih Laven trout ova during thu voyage from England of the Aorangi, and that lie ba elected a life member of the Society." BROWN TROUT DISTRIBUTION. The distribution of the young brown trout at present in the ponds was referred to the usual Committee, consisting of Messrs Maitland, Begg, and the Secretary. NEW HATCHERY. It was proposed by Mr Chisholij, and agreed to by the meeting, that Messrs Maitland, Begg, Clifford, Arthur, and Deana be a committeeto got all information as to tho most suitable site for new ponds, and report to the Council as Boon as possible.