30 TIME TO TAKE THE SPAWN. 



females. The principal point to be attended to is, to take 

 the female at the right time, and this is when she is work- 

 ing high up stream ; for though some females return nearly 

 ready to spawn, the greater number make for the springs 

 some time before they are full- gone and ripe for parturi- 

 tion. You may easily know when a fish is full up and in 

 condition to have her eggs taken from her, by looking out 

 for the redness and protrusion of the vent ; and this must 

 be particularly attended to, or the mother may be destroyed 

 in the operation. 



To spawn artificially, first, a clear, clean, unadulterated 

 spring must be found, at a temperature of 54 to 56, which 

 can be so hemmed back as to form a good fall of water : 

 then the boxes, of any size, according to the amount of 

 fish required, must be placed one by another, and so ar- 

 ranged that the water shall pass from one to the other ; 

 for, as each box receives its spawn in succession regu- 

 larly, it is essentially necessary that the flow of water 

 shall be at the command of the operator. The boxes must 

 be made water-tight, with lids to all ; and the first box 

 should be placed one or two inches higher than the second, 

 so that the flow shall fall into each box in regular succes- 

 sion, and form an artificial ripple, by which the egg is 

 affected on the artificial hill in exactly the same way as on 

 its natural one. On sunny days it is advisable to open the 

 lids, and let the rays of light pass to them ; for though the 



