OF SALMON INTO THE COLONY.

19

D — No. X

its capture. This fish must have very recently descended the Derwent from the vicinity of its birthplace on the banks of the Plenty, and having reached New Town Bay after a journey of upwards of thirty miles, a considerable portion of the way through salt water, had again sought fresh water, and entered the little stream above mentioned, up which it had passed nearly two miles. The chief point of interest in the history of this little fish consists in the fact that, having entered the salt water, it had again sought the fresh water while still in the condition of a smolt. This occurrence having been reported to Mr. Youl, was by him communicated to the eminent pisciculturist, Mr. Prank Buckland, who has assigned a conjectural reason for the apparent eccentricity in the behaviour of this young traveller, Nor has the progress of the trout under the charge of the Commissioners been less gratifying than that of the salmon. In the month of June, 1866, these fish, being then about two years old, began to shed their first spawn, and during the course of the season several thousand of their ova were secured, which, after being duly fecundated, were placed in the hatching-boxes attached to the ponds. One portion of these ova was subsequently despatched to Alelbourne for the use of the Acclimatization Society of Victoria; another was forwarded to Launceston to the care of an association of gentlemen which had been formed with the object of promoting the early stocking of the rivers of the Northern Division of the Colony with salmon and trout; and the remainder were retained in the ponds for hatching under Mr. Ramsbottom's observation. The result of this first attempt to propagate fish from ova produced in the Colony was unfortunate. The hatching-boxes prepared for the reception of the ova forwarded to Victoria, having been erected on a spot which proved to be subject to inundation, were shortly afterwards, with their contents, swept away by a flood. Of those despatched to Launceston, although conveyed by Mr. Ramsbottom in person, a large number perished on the way. Prom the remainder only a few living trout were produced, and these, after attaining a considerable size, were, as in Victoria, carried away by an overflow of the stream near which hatching-boxes had been constructed. Erom those retained under Mr. Ramsbottom's immediate charge, about forty young trout only have been obtained, which will to that extent add to the number of breeding fish for the season of 1868. A large share in this unproductiveness is attributable to causes which are now understood, and will not be allowed to influence future attempts to increase the number of this fish. During the past year many of the parent trout detained in the ponds, and still more those at large in the Plenty, have increased in size and weight at a surprising, and the Commissioners believe unprecedented rate. In June last, a male trout was found dead in the Plenty, evidently killed in an encounter with, some of its associates during the exciting season of spawning, which measured 19 J- inches in length, and weighed 3| pounds. On the 29th July last, another was captured alive by Mr. Ramsbottom, of which the length was inches, and the weight fully 4 pounds, although the fish was then in a spent and consequently lean condition, having but recently shed its milt. If in full condition, Mr. Ramsbottom estimates that the weight of this fish would have been between 5 and 6 pounds. Many others have been seen in the Plenty of similar dimensions, and some of those confined in the ponds are little inferior to them; although the trout set at liberty in the river and left to provide for themselves have always been somewhat in advance of their brethren imprisoned in the ponds, where they have been carefully and diligently fed. The trout thus greatly increased in size began to spawn for the second time in the rivulet attached to the pond on the 23rd June ; and at the same time some of those at large in the adjoining river were observed busily engaged in forming their nests and depositing their ova. The season of spawning extended over a period of about six weeks, —terminating on the 6th August. On this occasion the fish were permitted to deposit a large portion of their spawn in the natural way, the remainder only being taken for artificial propagation. While the spawning was going •on the parent fish readily passed from the pond into the rill; and, when the operation was completed, a considerable extent of the little stream w r as to be seen thickly studded with their nests. Before the spawning began, Mr. Ramsbottom had erected a temporary wooden screen close to the bank of tho rivulet, from behind which the whole interesting process was watched by him, an el clearly seen by some of the Commissioners and many other visitors, without disturbing the fish during their operations. Although a large portion of the ova were left undisturbed in, the gravel in which they were deposited by the parent fish, the number of ova obtained for artificial hatching exceeds the total produce of the preceding season. Prom the store thus obtained, about 1,300 have been despatched to the care of the Victorian Acclimatization Society in Melbourne, which, with a loss of about 25 per cent., are now in a thriving and promising condition in the pond prepared for their reception. A supply of about 800 have also been placed in the hands of Mr. Johnson, Secretary to the Acclimatization Society of Christchurch, in New Zealand, whom the Council of the Society had judiciously despatched to this Colony for the purpose of receiving in person the contribution promised to them. Mr. Johnson at the same time took charge of a smaller supply, 400 in number, for the use of the kindred society in the neighbouring Province of Otago. Prom both of these Provinces liberal contributions in aid of the enterprise in which this Colony is engaged had been received. A fish pond, with hatching boxes attached, has been formed during the present year on the estate of Strathmore, on the South Esk, under the direction of Mr. Charles McArthur, wdio has long taken a warm interest in the' establishment of salmon and trout in Tasmania, and took a leading part in the attempt of last year, unfortunately unsuccessful, and of Mr. Cox, of Clarendon. This spot was last year inspected by Mr. Ramsbottom, who pronounced it admirably adapted to the purposes of fish culture, and a convenient centre from which the means of stocking the other rivers in the north might be supplied. Concurring with Mr. Ramsbottom's views on this subject, and having received an assurance and guarantee that they would be tended with all necessary care and attention, 1,200 ova were lately handed over to Mr. McArthur, who had come in person to receive them, and have been by that gentleman safely conveyed to their destination, and placed in the hatching boxes at Strathmore with the most trifling loss. The ova thus supplied have been received by Mr. McArthur and Mr. Cox