H.—l4

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trout ova instead of having come all the way from the Tweed. The death-rate has been so far the smallest in my experience. There are always a good many go bad during the first two days after laying down ; in fact, a good many ringed and speckled ova get in by mistake, no matter how careful one may be, but since then I have only removed 1,500, which I consider very few. I have as yet detected very few deformed fish, and to-day I observed the first one with dropsy. So far it has been a pleasure to have charge of them, and I trust it may continue to be so. I have, &c, Abchd. N. Campbell, Curator, Southland Acclimatisation Society. The Hon. the Minister of Marine, Wellington.

Detailed Statement of good Salmon-ova ex "Aorangi"—received 30th March, 1889, at the Southland Acclimatisation Society's Wallacetown Fish Hatchery.

Grand total good ova, 83,098, equal to 67'45 per cent. Abchd. N. Campbell, Curator, Southland Acclimatisation Society.

The Agent-General to the Hon. the Ministeb of Maeine. Sib,— Paris, 30th April, 1889. I have received with great satisfaction the message you were kind enough to telegraph to catch the San Francisco mail before it left Auckland, communicating the good news ofxhe safe arrival of the salmon ova. .As every step in the collection, incubation, and shipment of ova has to be most carefully thought over, and requires the concerted action of many people, it is a great reward for the pains that were taken by every one concerned to find that our efforts have been crowned with success; and lam sincerely obliged to you for your message. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Marine, Wellington. F. D. Bell. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,360 copies), £8 2a.J

By Authority : George Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB9.

Trays. Layers. No. 1. No. 1. No. 1. No. 2. j No. 2. No. 3. No. 3. No. 4. No. i. Total. Upper Lower 1,044 954 1,998 Box No. 4-5. 900 200 1,044 954 1,014 904 1,046 1,028 1,030 1,042 992 j 884 ! 987 857 800 650 7,863 6,469 Upper Dower 935 895 1,829 1,998 1,918 2,074 i 2,022 I 1,920 1,844 - -1,450 1,100 14,332 * Box No. 93. 935 895 934 955 986 947 940 | 905 815 430 935 1,016 900 555 645 65 7,180 5,677 Upper Dower ■ i 803 680 1,829 1,889 1,933 1,755 1,335 1,951 1,455 710 12,857 803 680 988 923 871 840 Box No 98. 702 615 651 54 672 76 6,123 4,733 725 735 711 810 I I 1,483 1,911 1,711 1,460 1,521 1,317 705 748 10,856 Upper Dower 853 716 1 KCC\ 730 735 Box No. 99. 509 529 661 19 322 I 38 j 4,959 3,835 430 | 708 374 : 697 746 727 1,569 1,569 1,465 804 1,415 1,473 1,038 680 360 8,794 611 913 778 825 Box No. 101. 701 721 579 36 667 21 5,709 4,905 Upper Dower 611 913 1,524 750 846 710 870 787 799 1,524 1,603 1,460 1,716 1,586 1,422 615 688 10,614 Upper Dower . f I j I 975 983 1,958 975 983 956 945 Box No. 1,033 ' 874 785 739 102. 1,010 1,000 936 923 960 450 i 950 650 7,694 6,375 1,958 1,901 1,818 I 1,613 ! 2,010 1,759 1,410 i 1,600 14,069 Upper Lower 866 742 866 742 947 710 850 726 Box No. 103. 763 941 665 892 826 741 872 ; 190 700 145 6,765 4,811 1,608 1,657 1,576 1,428 1,833 1,567 1,062 845 11,576