SALMON MANUFAfTORY. B^ 



possibility of their dam collecting them together again, and swallowing them 

 'pro tern.' It is true I have never seen but one brood of Snakes quit the 

 eggs, and in that case the old one might have been killed, and thus her absence 

 on this occasion be accounted for. But 1 have seen as many as fifty young 

 ones, as described above, separately and collectively, but never have seen 

 any old ones near them, although 1 have watched them for some time crawl 

 through the hedge-grass, or coil up on a warm bank, basking in the sun. 



There is no doubt if the readers of "The Naturalist" investigate the sub- 

 ject with assiduity next spring and the succeeding months, that it might 

 be finally settled to the satisfaction of all true naturaUsts. It will be only 

 for them to search for the chain of Snakes' eggs deposited this year in 

 dunghills, heaps of rubbish, or around the base and shady nooks of old 

 lime-kilns. Having found the eggs, the finder, instead of doing the same 

 as the Ichneumon, (Herpcstes Ichneumon,) does with the eggs ot Crocodiles, 

 he must let them remain, and pay them a visit every fine day if possible, 

 which can be done by most persons, if it is not too far from their residence, 

 and especially if they wish to clear away doubtful mists floating between 

 them and their delightful study. 



Saint Cathbert's Place, Wells, Octoher llth., 1853. 



THE SALMON MANUFACTORY ON THE TAY. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE NATURALIST, 



Sir, 



Allow me to call your attention to the enclosed paragraph 



from "The Times" of the 9th. instant. The experiments which are going 



on in Salmon breeding are interesting, and I trust some of your correspondents 



may furnish you with a detailed account of them. — W. Waldo Coop£R. 



Rectory, Wed Rasen, Dec( ruber loth., 1853, 



"The ponds for this purpose are situated on the river bank, near Store- 

 mountfield, the spawning-bo'xes being sixteen feet above the summer level of the 

 river. The water which supplies the ponds is taken from Storemountfield lade, 

 (but, owing to the impurity of the Tay during spates, a supply is also to 

 be taken from a neighbouring spring,) by a pipe with a valve into a filtering- 

 pond j thence it is carried by a canal along the upper end of the spawning- 

 boxes, through which it runs. These boxes are eighty-four feet long by one 

 foot six inches broad, and three feet deep. They are placed with a fall of 

 six inches, so as to allow the water to flow freely through them, and are 

 partly filled — first with a layer of fine gravel, next coarser, and lastly with 

 stones somewhat coarser than road metal. In distributing the ova, it is 

 gradually poured out of the vessel which holds it, at the upper end of the 

 box. The water flowing downwards carries it among the stones, under which 



