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once, L}' a gentle ])ressiir« on the belly of the fish if the spawn 

 is rii^e hy its iree emission from the oviducts. In an unripe 

 one the eggs will not How at all, and if the eggs are only 

 nearly ready, the extrusion is difHcult and in masses, and 

 the fish is rejected. When a female is found, from which 

 the eggs flow in a liquid stream when a gentle pressure is 

 applied, it is carefully taken in the hands of the operator, 

 the left hand ap})lied closely around the tail, and the heed of 

 the fish crowded against his body, while with the right 

 hand, a slight pressure is applied with the thumb and finger 

 to the abdomen of the fish, and a stripping movement execut- 

 ed which causes the eggs to flow rapidly into the pan. As 

 soon as it is evident that the spawn is all obtained, the shad 

 is thrown into the basket, it being impossible to preserve the 

 lives of so a delicate fish, even if the utmost care is taken 

 in handling it, but though they are delicate in this particu- 

 lar, and have a very slight tenacity of life when taken from 

 the water, they are a very muscular fish. Experts in fish 

 culture, who handled the white fish and salmon-trout of the 

 lakes, regard them much stronger than the same sized fishes 

 of either of the latter species, and if the utmost pains is 

 not taken to prevent their releasing themselves from the 

 hold, they will flounder and splash in the pan of eggs, and 

 probably throw a large portion out, and damage some of 

 those that remain. In stripping down the abdomen, a 

 great many scales will be removed from the sides of the fish, 

 these if carelessly allowed to fall into the pan, will be an 

 annoyance, as the eggs will adhere to them. They can be 

 gathered and thrown away by an adroit movement of the 

 hand, with a little experience, without making any delay in 

 the operation of stripping the fish. The ova from the female 

 being collected in the pan with a small quantity of water^ a 

 slight pressure on the ripe male near the anal opening will 

 force out two or three jets of the milt, which falling into the 

 pan is stirred by a gentle movement of the hand with the 

 fingers spread, care being taken to keep the fingers from 

 contact with the sides or bottom of the pan, as in that case 

 some of the eggs would be crushed. The milt being diffused 

 throughout tlio water, the jiaii is leit for a few minutes to 



