WELLINGTON ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2460, 24 November 1886, Page 2

WELLINGTON ACCLIMATISATION SOCIETY.

THE MASTERTON BREEDING PONDS. (New Zealand Times.) We oecassionally hear from the Wellington Acclimatisation Society —from itself—but it ia rare indeed to hear any one eke speak of it. It is a tolerated institution that barely excites languid interest, except in the breasts of the very few ardent sportsmen who directly find through its aid that occupation they love the best. For tho rest it is enough that they know there is a Society that has taken upon itself to introduce birds, beasts and fishes, but how that 'Society succeeds,-how it manages-to get through a very arduous self-imposed task, is a matter of indifference to the great majority of the people of tho district. But for the few earnest men who " push the business" and force contributions, the Society would die for sheer inanition. And that would be something very much to be regretted, for the effects of acclimation in this, and other districts, have been productive of moro good than is genorally understood. Anything affecting and adding to the food supply of a poople cannot be other than important, and acclimatisation has already very materially affeoted our food supply, and that for the better. But to return to the breeding ponds. Our representative visited them the other morning, and spent a very pleasant hour there, in company with Mr Rutherford, the Society's indefatigable Secretary, Mr Ayson, the Curator, and a variety of very lively, interesting and beautiful fishes. The work that has been done in transforming a desolate hillside into a place where tho fish of another hemisphere are made to give their increase for the benefit of some of the people of this one is truly surprising. Quite a'number of ponds of different areas havo been excavated, ditches to convoy the water cut, a large hatching house,, full of breeding troughs, has boon built, and the quantity of timber used, first and last, about it is jußt bewildering to attempt to estimate. Wo are not going to inflict on our readers a description of the process of hatching. That was done in these columns years ago, when acclimatisation was initiated in fchiß Colony. Sufficient if wo say that that the ova are placed in boxea, in (he bottom of which is laid gravel that has been subjected to the boiling process to absolutely freo it from evory kind of organic impurity. Through the boxes flows water, pure, and of an even temperature, for it is a peculiarity of those Masterton springs k> maintain an even temperature of about 52 degrees the year round. After tho fry, resulting from tho hatching process, aro sufficiently developed, they are removed to tho ponds sot apart for their respective species; and of these there are four in the Society's grounds—the common brown trout, the Loch Leven trout}'the Atlantic salmon, and tho char, or American brook trout. Excepting the salmon, these may be observed in nearly every stage of existence, from the fry, to tho fully formed spawning fish. On'the occasion we refer to, the ponds were visited about feeding time, for the fish have to be fed, and are fed regurlarly upon finely chopped sheep's plucks, supplied gratuitously by a generous butcher of Masterton, Mr Porry. Mr Ayson designates the larger sized fish as his "pets," and well he may, for they are afl tame as afiock of poulty, and come as readily to be fed. He had no difficulty in enticing them to the edge of the ponds, and then lifted out specimens for examination with his landing net—and the fish rather seemed to enjoy their air-bath when in the net, and frisked away, not a

bit the worse when returned to the water. Tho. most numerous of the various species of trout wero, pf courso, the brown and oho largest, too. There are bis; fellows in the pond twelve to fifteen pound woight, fat and thriving, and with splendid appetites. . The.Loch Leven trout are also numeroua.but lnthe lesser degree. They are, however, incomparably the handsomer fish and the. more. Valuable as food; beautiful creatures streaked and spotted.'in amber and crimson, and firm to the touch. Like the brown trout they, are free spawuera, anda quantity of their fry has been distributed in the Hutt River, ; Next, season. Mr Ayson expects to send, several thousands' away. Of the A tlantic salmon only, a few remain m the boxes, and they' are retained by way of experiment, to ascertain if it is possible to develop salmon from the parr stage in fresh water. About a dozen of these parr w°re swimming about but, according to the curator, were not thriving. A good many hundred parr were placed in the Hutt River. But the pride of the breeding ponds is undoubtedly the char. A more lovely fish, in its mature state can' scarcely be imagined. _ Long, and shapely, and yot plump, it is a perfect rainbow of colors in Bpots and streaks, is an article of raro delicacy, and affords capital sport to the angler. It is superior in flavour to eithor of the other trout, and much excels that of the brown variety. The brown, we know, is apt to run coarse, and it is the hope of tho Directors of the Society to bo able to stock overy suitable stream in the district with Loch Leven and tho American brook trout, or char. If these two species crowded the brownoutthe Colony would be the gainer bv it;/ It may be remarkod that the mature fish, in the ponds are retained simply tor their spawn. The stripping process takes place in the wintor, and as the fish instinctively make their way into the narrow spawning boxes provided, they are then easily taken. The success of the fishing part of the acclimatisation work, in this district is undoubtedly duo to Mr William Beetham, who has been, and still is, indefatigable in its prosecution. His great liberality and personal. supervision have mainly conducted it bo far. ■ Wo would urge upon all visitors to Masterton who havo an hour to spare to pay a visit to the breoding ponds, where they are sure to be courteously received by the ourator.