68 FISH CULTURE. 



quick, steady action, through every vein — its progress 

 being distinct, even without the aid of the micro- 

 scope, and as traceable as in an anatomical prepara- 

 tion. Second by second the pulsations continue — 

 But the animal is uneasy, and kicks and wriggles 

 again. Place it carefully back in its trough. There, 

 it darts to the bottom, ensconces itself between two 

 stones of gravel, and lies prone on its side. In a few 

 days you will be able to distinguish the rapid and 

 unceasing beating of its little fan-like pectoral fins. 

 But now glance over the trough, and haply you will 

 find three or four more red spots, indicating an in- 

 crease in your registry of births. Here and there you 

 will, perhaps, see eyes very distinctly. Look closer. 

 They protrude from the shell ; and this is how the 

 fish hatches out. Now the head is thrust out, and 

 the eyes stare forth at the wonderful world they are 

 about to come out into. The embryo wriggles, and 

 shakes the egg gradually ; the shell splits across the 

 back, and the back is thrust out; 1 wriggle after 

 wriggle ensues ; and the work of parturition goes on 

 with tolerable rapidity, A few more convulsions, 

 and the little fish springs forth from its shell, leaving 



1 Sometimes the tail protrudes first, and sometimes the shell 

 splits across the belly, and the hag shows first. In these instances 

 the struggles of the fish last much longer. 



