348 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



nmong which vu the loss of the first shipment, we BQOceeded in getting down three lots, in 

 all about one hundred and fifty, in fine condition, and lodged them safely in their new home, 

 where they is happy and as sportive as they were in the beautiful blue waters of 



Lake Superior. In the month of September, I made a trip to Port Stanley. Canada, fur 

 another lot, :ni'l ted in getting home about forty more specimens, constituting, certainly, 



a very fair beginning to our enterprise. We did not, however, expect to rear any young 

 flshi neon, fl >r we supposed the transportation, &c. would prevent them from depositing 



_rs; but in this we were most agreeably disappointed, for, on the loth of November, 

 we discovered unmistakable evidences that they were about to engage in this interesting pro- 



ral male trout had proceeded up the stream, and commenced preparing the ' 

 in which the eggs were to be deposited. This was done by removing all the Bediment and 

 sand from certain gravelly locations. These beds were about one foot in diameter, consisting 

 of coarse and fine pebbles, the spaces or interstices between which wire to be the future 

 depository for the eggs. This peculiar construction of their beds, or nests, is highly i 

 to their preservation, as it protects them from being washed away by freshets, also from 

 being devoured by small fishes, which are always prowling about seeking them for food. The 

 male trout at this time was very b e au tiful, being decked out in the most gaudy colors imagina- 

 ble, and his actions showed clearly enough that he was quite vain of his personal appear- 

 ance. In the course of five days, the females made their appearance. They were not near 

 BO gaudy in their dress ; but had a most staid and matronly look. The next step was choosing 

 their mates. After the usual amount of flattering attentions to the females, with which they 

 seemed highly delighted, and some battles among the males, this important matter was settled, 

 apparently to the satisfaction of all parties. Our trout were from four to six weeks later 

 than their usual time in depositing their eggs, owing, no doubt, to the vicissitudes incident 

 to transportation, change of water, &c. 



On the 20th of November they had fairly commenced operations, one pair offish occupying 

 each bed — the male manifesting the utmost jealousy, and, if any suspicions interloper ap- 

 proached, he was instantaneously attacked and driven off. On the 21st. I captured a pair by 

 means of a landing-net, and placed thorn in a bucket of water, and, bein^ provided with an 

 earthen vessel, I mado my first attempt at artificially spawning and impregnating the < 

 This was accomplished as follows: I partially filled the earthen vessel with water, and. taking 

 the female in my left hand, and making gentle pressure on her abdomen with my right, the 

 eggs were forced into the earthen vessel containing the water; the male was treated in pre- 

 ly the same manner, forcing the spermatic fluid into the same vessel : tin- appearance of 

 the - almost immediately changed from their bright golden-orange color to n pals 



transparent yellow; they were then placed in running water with thevessel containing them. 



On I nuary, one of the eggs was placed under a microscope. The egg, which at 



first had been a simple cell, was now multiplied into a countless number of cell-, of different 



. with tn i of blood-vessels; the eye- also being perceptible. On the 22d of January, 



we examined them again, and to our joy we found a young fish, which had jttsl left its nar- 

 row plat f Confinement to try its new mode of existence ; it was very livi |y in it* motions, 



but oould not be considered an expert swimmer, owing to an appendage to it* abdomen, of 



the site of the egg, which in fact it wa-, containing the material for the further 

 I lopmeni of the yet very imperfect Ugh ; this sack was filled with a multitudi autS 



Is, whose absorption keeps pace with the development of the fish. When the 

 leav '. it measures about half an inch in length : neither the mouth, gills, nor any of 



the abdominal vi-cera are visible, all of which would be plainly di-cerncd with the micr>>- 



'••, if they existed, owing to its almost perfect transparency. The heart, with the prin- 

 1 bi..od'. tad even the eorpn 1, are beautifully shown with a mi 



Their external appearance is remarkable. The ,■•. . - §xf large and 



quite well developed ; the pectoral fini are also in an advance,] stage of development, and in 



Con I motion, which. T think. In the more advanced Mage of the fi-h. ha- some- 



thing to do with they arc placed near the opening of the trill , The 



other portion! of the fish are quite rudimentary, DO other tin* being ' but in their 



place i- an atte n ua t e 1 margin, or finlike substance, as on the tail of the tadpole, commencing 



