H.—ll
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were opened at Christchurch and Dunedin were in the same condition, it is to be concluded that the failure of those taken to the Te Anau Lake was not due to the long and rough land journey to which they were subjected, so that with the experience now gained, and with some modification of the method adopted in packing the ova boxes, so that they may be thoroughly surrounded with ice, I feel confident that future consignments can be safely conveyed to our large Alpine lakes, where they have the best chance of thriving. The ova that escaped destruction were those which were protected from the drip of the melting ice, and were therefore comparatively dry, and in such a position that they were at the same time kept at a low temperature by the ice resting immediately above them. It did not appear to me that too much moss had been placed in the boxes, which has been suggested as a reason for the failure, but when the fungus had grown the moss was necessarily crushed into less space and formed into a sodden mass. At the same time I would recommend that iv future experiments the gauze on which the eggs are spread should be stretched on light frames supported at proper intervals by intermediate corner pieces, but these and other suggestions I will defer for another report upon the subject, after conferring with Mr. Firth at Auckland. The experiment on this occasion has been so far successful that a few hundred fish at least will be turned out in Te Anau lake, and I have recommended that the fish hatched in Dunedin, of which there are about a thousand, should be sent to the Wanaka lake, and the small number (about a dozen) obtained at Christchurch, to lake Coleridge. I have, (fee, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. James Hector.
Enclosure 1 to No. 30. Mr. S. Herbert Cox to Dr. Hector. Sir,— Te Anau,. February 20th, 1878. You will be pleased to hear that the whitefish are doing very well. They are all hatched out and are feeding well on the blood which they are having given them. But very few have died, and if cold be an esserrtial to their existence, it has been cold enough to-day for almost anything. Burton says he would be afraid to turn the fish into the lagoon now, as the distance is rather far, so they will, I presume, be let loose in the lake about Saturday, if it is calm enough. I have, &c, S. Herbert Cox.
Enclosure 2 in No. 30. Mr. W. Arthur, to Dr. Hector. Sir, — Acclimatisation Society, Dunedin, 10th July, 1878. You will be sorry to hear that our American whitefish experiment has failed. I suppose we had about 1000 young fish which throve very well at the breeding ponds. The last I know of them is, that Deans started with the whole lot for the Wanaka, before they had reached that age and size which, iv conversation with you, we all agreed to be most prudent before turning them out. He got as far as the Teviot, but they had nearly all died or escaped during the night into a creek where the cans were put. Both Maitland and I knew nothing about it until Deans returned, or we should, certainly, never have sanctioned so rash a step. I hope those in the Te Anau will get on better, and be the means of stocking our deep lakes. I have, (fee, W. Arthur, Secretary.
No. 31. Mr. A. M. Johnson to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. A merican Whitefish. Sir, — Troutdale Farm, Opawa, Christchurch, 6th February, 1878. If you should receive any whitefish ova, will you kindly consider my application for a portion. I have every facility for fish culture, and have this season hatched out about 70,000 ova (English trout and American salmon.) My establishment being a private one, I am not in receipt of public moneys in the shape of subscriptions, licenses and fines, like the various Acclimatisation Societies, although I have to compete with them in the sale of young fish for stocking purposes, therefore, I trust you will see that I have an equal, if not a greater claim on your consideration. I may also add that the English brown trout, English perch, and the American brook trout (Salmo fontinale) were first introduced into New Zealand at my expense. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works. A. M. Johnson.
No. 32. Mr. A. M. Johnson, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Troutdale Farm, Opawa, Christchurch, 23rd April, 1878. The whitefish ova received to-day by the Rotorua, I regret to report as all hopelessly bad, with the exception of three.