13 



little ex]»crieiire, witliout making any delay in the operation 

 of stripi)iug- tlie fish. The ova from the female being col- 

 lected in the pan with a small q^uantity 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 hy 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. Tlie milt being diffused through- 

 out the water, the pan is left for a few minutes to allow the 

 spermatozoa to come in contact Avith the eggs. The pan 

 should then l)e filled full of fresh water, and gently swayed 

 until the water charged Avith milt is thoroughly mixed with 

 fresh water, tlie eggs slightly rinsed, when soon afterwards 

 the water may be poured nearly off and. the pan refilled with 

 fresh Avater, and after a slight and always gentle rinsing up 

 of the eggs, the ])an may be allowed to stand for several 

 minutes. 



The fact has been refei'red to that the eggs Avere not discerni- 

 ble to the touch Avhen put into a pan, nor is there any change 

 in this particular if no milt is added, at any rate for the 

 length of time that the eggs have been observed in this con- 

 dition, a half hour or more. For about twelve or thirteen 

 minutes, Avhen the temperature of the Avater Avas about 70 

 after the milt Avas added no change was observed, but about 

 this time a careful movement of the fingers in the pan dis- 

 cerned their ])resence, and in a little more than twenty min- 

 utes from the time the milt Avas applied, they Avere felt like 

 shot against the fingers, and to an experienced eye, Avere ob- 

 serA:ed to luive increased slightly in size. This stage of their 

 'condition is knoAvn to fish breeders as the "spaAvnrising," 

 referring to the greater bulk in the pan from, the increase in 

 size of each egg. "The increase in size and hardness con- 

 tinues for several minutes, during Avhich the Avater is poured 

 ofi", and fresh Avater is poured into the pan tAvo or three timeSj. 

 and the eggs gently stirred Avith the fingers. In pouring in 

 the Avater the ed'ge of the dipper is placed against the sides of 

 the pan, and the stream directed 'between the eggs and the- 

 sides of tlie pan, as it is likely to damage the eggs if poured 

 directly down upon them. Mr. Green estimates tlie number 



