By W. L. BarJcer, Esq. 255 



an opaque-white. It should be removed instantly ; if not, it will 

 be covered in a short time with what 100 years ago was described 

 with admirable accuracy as a "fine downy wool; " the eggs in its 

 vicinity will adhere to it, and their death will ultimately ensue. 

 A fortnight after impregnation the eyes of the future fish appear 

 as two black specks in the egg, and a red line coursing along the 

 egg-vesicle indicates the future body. The appearance of the eyes 

 is hailed with delight by the pisciculturist. He may now indulge 

 a well-founded hope that he will reap a sure reward for his labours, 

 and his satisfaction is further enhanced by the knowledge that the 

 eggs will bear transport to any locality however distant. Some- 

 times the eyes do not appear, although the eggs retain their trans- 

 parency. They are then called blind eggs, and the absence of the 

 organs of vision is an omen of the worst kind. The eggs will 

 prove barren, and all anxiety for their future welfare may be at 

 once extinguished. In those which remain healthy, the eyes 

 gradually become more clear and distinct, until at the expiration 

 of 60 days trout-ova : and at the expiration of 130 days salmon- 

 ova, spontaneously rupture and the little fish springs into existence. 

 He is an odd-looking fellow. His most notable points are his coal- 

 black eyes, the most perfect portion of his delicate frame ; and his 

 yellow umbilical bag, which supplies him with nutriment for a 

 month. His body is almost transparent, and for the first few daj's 

 of his life he nestles amongst the stones, trying to avoid the 

 observation of his numerous visitors. By degrees he loses his 

 original clearness, his fins develop, and the bag containing his 

 provisions disappears. He now at the age of one month begins to 

 seek his food from the stream, and the time has arrived when he 

 must be allowed greater scope for his increasing energies. He is 

 accordingly placed in an enclosed piece of running water, and when 

 he has arrived at a certain size, he is turned adrift into the open 

 stream. 



Such is a brief sketch of a method which if universally adopted, 

 would in the opinion of many men of science increase the stock of 

 fish in the rivers of England a thousand-fold, and would of 

 necessity tend to place within the reach of many who, from its 



