THE TROUT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 136, 19 October 1868, Page 2

THE TROUT.

— ♦ — The introduction of trout to this province, thanks to Dr Officer, Chairman of the Salmon Commissioners of Tasmania, Mr Clifford, of Otago, Captain Thompson, for his unremitting watchfulness over the ova during the voyage from Hobart Town to Canterbury, uud the Curator of our Acclimatization -Society, Mr Johnson, for the precautionary measures which he had taken to bring the experiment to a successful issue, may now be considered unfait accompli. _>ince the time of the ova's art ival here — an account of which we t'.K'ii published — very little information had neciti afforded the public as to whether the experiment was likely to succeed or be attended with failure as was unfortunately the case with respect to the efforts made to introduce salmon to our rivers. The inquiries at our office on the subject were very numerous during the last three or four dayß, and we consequently sent our reporter to the grounds to ascertain what progress was being made. Through the kindness and courtesy of Mr Johnson, he was permitted to inspect the boxes, and from his personal observation and inquiry we are glad to be in a position to inform our readers that the result of the experiment is even more satisfactory than it was at first supposed. our re mirks in this article will have r ference only to the progress that has been made from the date of hatching. The boxes which had contained the ova were cleaned out. and the fish removed into fresh ones that had hee> prepared for their reception. These «ere filled half way up with round, smallsized pebbles, and placed in paira along the trough in the glass-house. Care was taken to have the water well-filtered before passing into the boxes from the artesian well; and to render the flow as tiny as possible, a piece of perforated Blate was placed at each end of the boxes in which the fish were contained. It wa*» necessary also for the success of the experiment that the water should be of the lowest possible temperature, and to ensure this, each box was covered I y a slat , and a canvas strip, of close texture, spread over tiie trough from top to bottom. The latter precautionary measure had a two-fold object, alike to assist in maintaining the temperature of the water at its required frigidity, and to exclude the light, to which experience has proved that young fish should never beexposed, ex ept only when necessary to supply them with food or rid the boxes of any hurtful matter that may have passed into them. In order to form a correct estimate, with the view to future experiments in fish culture, as to what kind of water it was most advisable that young fish should be placed in after hitching, the Curator arranged two or three boxes in such a position as to secure an equal supply from the artesian well and the adjacent ponds. The result of this experiment has already been ascertained, and the Curator - d' dares in favour of the artesian, for the simple reason that the fish in those boxes supplied entirely from the well present a lirelier and healthier appearance than those .

that have had a mixed supply of pond and artesian water. The hatching of the eggs was not confined to one period. About half of them, most probably be cause they came from older fish, were hatched a good many days before the others. Therefore, for the sake of clearness, we will refer to them as the first a;.d second batches respectively. The fiah belonging to the first of these are three weeks old to-day. They have now absorbed the vesicle (or umbilical bag), and commenced to eat hardboiled liver. A quantity of small native water snails, which also afford an excellent food, and the spawn of the common small native fish fin large quantities) have been procured, in order to supply the trout with nourishment, which, from the experience of last year, is found to suit them best. They are very lively, and in two or three weeks more they will be far enough advanced to be turned into the ponds. It is generally considered by those versed in pisciculture that trout are in a fit state to be turned out in six weeks after the date of hatching We have heard that the question of turning out will probably be decided at the next < 'ouncil meeting of the society ; but, whilst the fish continue to progress in the present satisfactory , manner, it appears to be inadvisable to re- J move them from their safe and suitable quarters, even at the lapse of the period mentioned by those who have an intimate acquaintance with the subject; for, however carefully the preparations have been carried out, a first attempt should always be accompanied by more than an ordinary degree of cautious hesitancy. Doubtless the Coun.il of the Acclima'.izution Society will decide on the light course of action. Ihe eggs are now nil hatched, a small number only having gone bad. The second batch of fish still carry the umbilical bag, but they bid fair to progress as favourably as the others. Up to tlie present time there have been three casualties only amongst the fish, and these three, which were discovered in cleaning out the boxes, were evidently too weak to survive the birth. It would be a very difficult matter to count the fish with any degree of certainty, but the number of live trout is estira ited at between 400 and 500. The ponds into which they are to be turned have been cleared of all native fish of a size likely to be destructive ; and every appliance has been employed to ensure thapreservation of the young fish. jyXbe live perch also brought over by Capt Thompson, of the Southern Cross, are doing well in the ponds set apart for them ; they thoroughly relish whitebait, a supply of which has been provided for themA