APPENDIX. 251 



I hope by next September or October to be able 

 to inform my readers where they will be able to 

 get trout and salmon ova ready for their boxes. 



In order to understand what actually happens 

 during the curious and instantaneous act of fecun- 

 dation, I have examined the milt under the micro- 

 scope, taken at the moment from the fish. What 

 appears like milk to the naked eye is, in fact, one 

 living mass, containing myriads and myriads of those 

 mysterious creatures called by physiologists sper- 

 matozoa. Each seems endowed with independent 

 power of motion, and, I almost think, volition. 

 Under the microscope they are seen to hurry and 

 push about, as if in search of something on to 

 which they may attach themselves ; that something 

 is the ovum; but having found it, they attach 

 themselves, and, I beheve, actually enter into its 

 substance. 



OUT-DOOR APPARATUS. 



Page 83. 



The accompanying engraving will give the reader 

 an idea of how an out-door apparatus may be con- 

 structed (see page 83). The plan of it was kindly 

 given to my friend Mr. Ashworth, as giving an 

 idea of the method he has adopted to hatch so many 

 thousands of salmon. It will be seen that the boxes, 

 which are 6 feet long, by 12 inches wide, and 

 7 inches deep, are placed one above another, so that 

 the water shall fall from the outflow of the one 

 into the inflow of the next. The inflow from 

 the main stream must, of course, be regulated by 

 a hatchway (where the man is working with the 

 fish-kettle and net), and be guarded by perforated 



