H.-ls

14

Deah Sih, — Canterbury Museum, Christehurch, New Zealand, 6th May, 1908. 1 have to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram, in which you mention that you arc sending a spawned quinnat salmon for my examination. I have received the fish, and am pleased to confirm your determination. The specimen is a male quinnat or chinook salmon, technically known as Oncorhynchus tuchawyttclia, Walbaum. It presents all the features of the species, with one exception namely, tht; number of gill-rakers, which I find to be 12-14. This species is described us having the number of gill-rakers 9—14-; it may therefore be well to ascertain the number in other locally-bred examples. The diagnostic characters of the specimen are as follows: Dorsal rays, 12: Anal rays. 16; branchiostegrtls, 14 to 16; number of scales in longitudinal series, 140. Six species of the genus Oneorhynehut are known, of which the quinnat is the most prized, and is, indeed, said to be the most valuable of all tin- salmons. As all the quinnats (where they are native) die after spawning, it is safe to conclude that the specimen under consideration is a New-Zealand-bred example. I am, etc., Edgar R. Waite. Tj. F. Ay eon, Esq., Chief Inspector of Fisheries, Wellington.

Return showing the Total Ordinary Expenditure of the Marine Department during the Financial Year ended the 31st March, 1908.

Nature of Kxpenditure. Details. Totals. Grand Totals. I I Salaries of Head Office Staff £ s. d. £ s. d. 2,103 5 1 £ s. d. 2,103 fi 1 Harbours:— Manukau, — Salaries House-rent Stores and contingencies Russell, — Assistance to Harbourmaster Beacons and buoys Hokianga,— Salaries Clearing willows, Taheke River .. Stores and contingencies Kaipara,— Salaries Beacon, Helensville Creek Removal of sunken logs House allowance (Searing willows, Wairoa South Rivgr Stores and contingencies Tauranga,— Salary Stores and contingencies Tongaporutu,— Salary Contingencies Foxton, — Salary Improvement of channel Removal of snags Stores and contingencies Mokau, — Salary Snagging the river Wairau, — Salary Snagging the river Stores and contingencies Picton, — Boat-hire 494 0 0 18 0 0 101 12 0 22 17 4 9 5 0 352 0 0 130 0 0 30 11 2 628 0 0 153 8 7 428 0 4 19 10 0 15 0 0 182 14 11 613 12 0 32 2 4 512 11 2 l,42<i 13 10 16 13 4 10 14 8 27 7 10 10 0 0 1 0 4 11 0 4 210 0 0 158 17 9 22 0 0 94 18 8 485 IH 5 40 0 0 58 16 0 98 16 0 155 0 0 42 18 6 71 13 0 2ii() II 6 0 7 fi Carried forward 2,103 5