APPENDIX. 263 



lady's hair-net ; that is to say, the ^ eggs are 

 arranged in rings. Each ring unites, without any 

 interval, at the point of contact with its neigh- 

 bourino: rin2r, so as to form a really exceedingly 

 pretty and highly ornamental pattern, well worthy 

 of the art-designers— if those gentlemen will only 

 leave off imagining patterns, and take a lesson or 

 two from nature. 



As we gently pull the perch spawn from off the 

 bough on which it has been deposited by the parent 

 fish, we shall find that it is highly elastic, and, if 

 extended, will recoil upon itself like a bell- spring. 

 Wliy is this ? The ribbon, apparently continuous, 

 like a stri]:* of calico, is not really so. Not only is 

 it double in structure, but it is arranged in folds 

 upon itself. Eeader, take a paper spill from the 

 fireplace, fold it up closely from end to end upon 

 itself, and then put it on the table. It will partially 

 straighten itself, and you will have a rude model 

 of the cause of the elasticity of perch spawn. 



My friend, Mr, King, of Watford, brou^^ht me 

 some perch spawn on the 20th of April, which had 

 been deposited by the fish in his pond on the 19th. 

 It was placed in my boxes, and the young fish 

 could be seen moving in the egg on the 23rd, and 

 they were all hatched out by the 26th. AVhen the 

 fish begin to move in the egg, the appearance is 

 most curious — the whole mass of spawn seems 

 alive and in quick and rapid motion, an appearance 

 caused by each fish moving and kicking in its own 

 private apartment. Why they move so con- 

 tinuously I know not; anyhow, they twist and 

 wriggle about without a moment's intermission, 

 and, what is very remarkable, their object seems 



