GEAYEL FOR TEOrOHS IMPLEMENTS . 25 



to have it of a imiform size. Any kind of gravel is good 

 which is free from iron rust, as that kills the fish. If the 

 gravel is of some dark tint, the dead eggs, which tnrn milk 

 white, will show very plainly npon it, and may easily be 

 picked out. The gravel should be well washed before use, 

 and we would even recommend boiling it, to destroy any 

 eggs of insects which may be adhering to it. After the 

 nests are lined with glass the gravel may be put in, one 

 and one-half inches deep, which will bring it within one- 

 half inch of the top of the cross-piece. 



Implements. — The implements of the fish-culturist are 

 few and simple. A few feathers may be kept on hand to 

 use in spreading the eggs when placing them in the troughs, 

 in collecting them for packing, and moving them in the 

 search after dead eggs. Several plans are in use for re- 

 moving dead eggs from the trough. Some use a siphon to 

 draw them up ; others bend wire into the shape of a small 

 spoon, or bend an eye upon the wire just large enough to 

 hold the eo^g. We recommend the use of nippers. These 

 may be made of wire bent into the sliape of the letter U, 

 and flattened at the ends so that the extremities may l)e 

 about tlie eighth of an inch wide ; round off the corners. 

 Tlie length of the nippers should be 6 or 8 inches. A bet- 

 ter one may be made of double wire, same shape, with a 

 small loop in each end. These will hold the egg without 

 trouble. A small homoepathic phial is used to examine the 

 eggs. The manner of its use is to fill it with water, put in 

 the eggs to be examined, cork it, hold it up before the win- 

 dow in a horizontal position, and with your microscope 

 look tip through the side of the phial. This brings the 

 egg which lies at the bottom of the glass within the focus 

 of the microscope, and the water does not distort its shape. 

 This seems to be a very simple thing, and hardly worth 

 telling, but of the hundreds who have tried to examine 



