FISH EAT THEIR OWN EGGS. 47 



lows: — "On December 9tli, whilst the keepers 

 were netting the river DunlojD, for salmon for 

 my use, I examined a small stream on the 

 bog, noted for the quantity of trout which 

 breed in it. We took a number of male 

 fish — sea-trout and river-trout — before we 

 caught a female. Observing a number of 

 ova in the trough in which I deiDosited them 

 for a temporary purpose, I was led to inspect 

 their throats, and every male fish I examined 

 except one had ova in its maw. I had a 

 still stranger account from a friend of mine, 

 who was getting a stock of breeding-trout for 

 the Ribble. He had taken seven pair of 

 trout, and had placed them, with Hamsbot- 

 tom's sanction, in a small pool for safety, 

 until the time for manij)ulating had arrived. 

 When these fish came to be examined, it was 



