H.—l4,

12

Enclosure in No. 21. Extract from Professor Baird's Letter to Dr. Hector, dated "Washington, 19th January, 1877. Tours of the 13th December is to hand. I hope that the first instalment of the white-fish eggs has reached you in good condition. I directed that the entire shipment of three or four hundred thousand eggs should be divided into two lots, so as to insure the greater certainty of the safe arrival of some of them. Give me timely notice if you want more Californian salmon eggs or those of the white-fish, and I will do what I can to meet your wishes to any extent. The order for salmon eggs should be received by May next. I have written to Mr. Firth, who announces a satisfactory result of his experiment, that, in the event of extra eggs being called for from Australia, New Zealand, Chili, and the Sandwich Islands, and an extension'of operations on the McLeod Eiver being required, I might have to charge a small sum for the eggs themselves ; but in any event the amount will be but small. I shall be delighted to have a good collection of your New Zealand fishes, and hope you will send them duly labelled. Can you not get for us some specimens of the new genus of fish allied to the amphioxus ? I believe it comes from Moreton Bay.

No. 22. The Hon. Spencer F. Baird to Dr. Hector. United States Commission, Fish and Fisheries, "Washington, Dear Dr. Hector,— 7th April, 1877. Tour letter of the 9th of February has been duly received, and I regret that there was even a partial failure in the eggs of the white-fish. If you can arrange for a better connection for the next season I would be glad to send you more ; and should you want any salmon eggs, please advise me by the Ist of July. I have, &c, Spencee F. Baied, Dr. James Hector, "Wellington, New Zealand. Commissioner.

No. 23. The Under Secretary to the Hon. Spencer F. Baird. Sir,— Wellington, 31st May, 1877. "With reference to the offer which you kindly made in your letter of the 7th ultimo, addressed to Dr. Hector, I have the honor to request that arrangements may be made for the transmission to this colony during next season of 500,000 of the ova of the Californian salmon, and 250,000 of the ova of lake white-fish (Coregonws alhus). I have, &c, Professor Baird, Commissioner, Q-. S. Coopeb. United States Fisheries Commission, "Washington.

- No. 24. Mr. S. C. Farr to Dr. Hector. Canterbury Acclimatization Society, Christchurch, Dear Sir — 22nd March, 1877. I have to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of your memoranda re American salmon and white-fish and add that I am very sorry it did not reach us until the information contained in the last clause relating to white-fish was too late. It is with the deepest regret I have to inform you that we believe every one of the fish has been lost, although hopes are entertained that some may turn up in our races. The loss seems to have occurred in the following manner: "When they were first hatched out, it was observed from time to time that the numbers increased in the lowest boxes, which, after careful watching, the discovery was made that they, with perfect freedom, passed through the perforated zinc placed at the lower end of the box. This has always been found sufficient to prevent our smallest trout escaping ; and, having heard of the great weight the white-fish grew to be, it seemed consistent to think, ere the ova reached us, that no other preparation was necessary than had been for trout and salmon, which had been so signally successful in the same boxes the same season. However, experience proved the fact, and fine muslin was strained over the zinc, which for a time had the desired effect; but it was soon found that the food (finely-grated liver) clogged that material, so that it required constant attention, —and from close inquiries we find this was given early and late, —and the evening previous to the discovery of the loss the Curator had attended to them himself. The next morning he found the water overflowing the boxes, and all but six or seven of the fish gone. Search was made for them, a few found dead on the floor of the house, but nothing equal to the number we had in the boxes; so that, as we have a race running through the house, we trust that ere long some of them may turn up. Much as the loss may be and is deplored, I trust the above explanation of the cause will be accepted with good grace, so that the disaster may not prevent us from receiving the favour of a similar consignment next season, it being our aim and desire to do all that we can to foster and acclimatize everything useful and of benefit to the general public.