Proceedings of the Royal Society for April, 1869

Abstract

The monthly evening meeting of the Fellows was held on Tuesday, the 13th April, T. Giblin, Esq., in the chair. Mr. M. Allport informed the meeting that he had this season successfully stripped and fecundated the ova from the indigenous grayling (Prototroctes muraena). The male and female fish were taken with the rod at the Falls, New Norfolk, during the last week in March. The ova were brought to town and deposited in a slate tray with a gentle stream of water running through it. The embryos first showed in 3 days and hatched out in 8 to 12 days. Unfortunately the delicate little fish scarcely survived the extrusion from the egg more than a few minutes, and were all lost, probably from want of greater depth, or other physical condition of the water, of which we are at present ignorant. The main interest attaching to the experiment is, that it upsets the theory long held by many fishermen that these fish spawn in salt water. It also includes a discussion of sheep fluke.