Nature. How Fish are Spread.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 2003, 9 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

Nature. How Fish are Spread.

In looking over the mo3t recent faunal lists of this portion of the country, writes Dr. C. C. Abbott in his forthcoming " Eambloi About Home," I find that much of oar zoological literature is somewhat amusing. By a preconceived notion of vrhat ahould be the geographical distribution of the fishes, and other animals as well, these " systematic " writers gravely assert that in such a river such a fish is found, but that it never wanders either to .ha eastward or westward. Perhaps originally this was true of our rivers, as the river itsolf determined the range of specific variation that Ins ultimately come about ; but no river could retain all tho species that originated in it. There are too many possible ways by which fish can be safely transported long distances for us to asasit that none of them have operated in stocking a neighbouring stream with speoies not native and to the manner born. Thore is undoubted evidence on record of whirlwinds gathering up immense numbers of minute fish and landing them mile 3 away. Those showers of fiab.es, frogs, and even salamanders, are not unknown, even if they are uncommon ; and strange would it be if all such wind-transported Bpeoies should fall upon dry ground, and never into the water. Fertilized eggs, too, can likewise be blown a long diatanoe oven over low ranges of hills which sometimes separate river valleys, and bo giva rise to a nice of fishes that previously were uuknown in the locality. Egg 3, too, might readily adhere to the mud that often clings to the feat of wading birds, and would thus be gently replaced in a distant river, miles away from that in which they were deposited by tho parent fish. The present extensive system of canals also has tended to mingle the ichthyio faiinas of our various river systems. And when all these possible, probable, and aotual conditions art considered it need excite no wonder if in any ono of our rivers or its tnbutariee we now find accaaional individuals o£ unsuspected species.