72 TAE3NG SPAWN BY HAND. 



opening, and then closes. It seems to be a special arrange- 

 ment of Providence that the eggs shall agglutinate — stick 

 fast to each other and to everything they touch — so that 

 they shall not float away until they are impregnated and 

 the Trout has had time to cover them. In the eggs of 

 other fish, such as Bass and Perch, the same arrangement 

 is seen ; only they stick fast the moment they touch any- 

 thing, and stay there until hatched out, while that which 

 fastens the eggs of the Trout dissolves as soon as the 

 mother has had time to cover them. 



The eggs will now be loose and lying on the bottom of 

 the pan. Pour oif the dirty water until only sufficient is 

 left to cover the eggs. If this is done very gently, the 

 eggs, although very light, will remain at the bottom of the 

 pan, as the}^ are somewhat heavier than water ; then sink 

 the pan into the water, at the same time tipping the pan, 

 as described in the chapter on Eggs, and take the pan half 

 full of water. The influx of water will wash the eggs 

 around somewhat, and dilute the dirty water remaining in 

 the pan. This is to be poured oif, as before, and the opera- 

 tion repeated, until the water in the pan looks perfectly 

 clear. There will be some dirt and droppings of the 

 Trout still left, which can be carefully picked out with the 

 nippers. If an egg should happen to be broken, while 

 being taken from the Trout, every vestige of it should be 

 carefully removed, as the slimy, sticky contents will get on 

 the other eggs and kill them. The eggs are now ready to 

 be placed in the trough, and having previously raised the 

 water in the nest to which you wish to transfer them, by 

 placing a strip across, proceed as described in the chapter 

 on Eggs. 



From the above description, it will be seen that a few 

 lessons in artificial impregnation, from an experienced 

 hand, will probably save the beginner nmch time and 

 money. A written description of the process, however 



