Mr Schonberg on the Spawn of' Salmon. 239 



haps the yolk, filled with a quantity of red spots, now and 

 then variegated with some of a paler kind, which together seem 

 to be oily and floating. This membrane presses itself out of 

 the shell. 



Fig. 3. b. Whilst examining it under the microscope, the 

 fish made considerable progress with regard to the quitting of 

 the shell ; this disengagement was perhaps too precocious, on 

 account of its being often removed from its place, in order to 

 be observed under the glass. A sight the most imposing, 

 was, without contradiction, that of beholding the active mo- 

 tion of the heart ; the innumerable streams rolling small glo- 

 bules of blood, interposed with air, into larger vessels, where 

 the number combine in forming some of a greater volume. 



The streams issue, as shown in the outline Fig. 6, from be- 

 low the body of the fish, a vein not visible, (concealed in the 

 spine ;) the colour of the blood light-brown red ; it flows 

 through numberless vessels, situated in the bladder, or trans- 

 parent membrane itself; is collected into the large vessel seen 

 below the membrane, always increasing in breadth, ascending 

 towards the throat ; drawn thence by short regular intervals 

 (twelve pauses in eleven seconds) into the heart, or rather in- 

 to various chambers, one of which empties itself every time, 

 colouring the next, which again throws it out into the third, 

 and then ascending into the gills, as shown by the dart. 



The blood in the veins at the neck and head is much darker. 

 Several other blood-vessels in the fore part of the body are 

 distinguishable. 



Fig. 4. The spawn left the shell at the time when the sketch 

 was made ; the animal lay motionless for some hours, the pul- 

 sation continuing ; tail much curved ; eye more brilliant. 



Fig. 5. The motion of the water, caused by pouring it into the 

 vessel, made the body grow straight. The bladder attached 

 to the animal is oval ; it lived only two days in a state of lan- 

 guor, without enjoying its element. 



Fig. 7. The shell or egg, after the animal had left it. It 

 was semi-transparent, and three-fourths of it entire. In a for- 

 mer case, the shell was excessively fragile, and almost disap- 

 peared in filaments ; in this, however, it remained for many 

 days solid, which proves the immaturity of the fish. 



