How to obtain it. 147 



number of good fish a couple of milters are selected sometimes 

 one only is used, but as there are eggs from several females in the 

 dish there is no harm in using more than one male, should it be 

 deemed desirable to do so. Sometimes the milt may not be quite 

 ripe, or may be spent, or stale, and in such a case the ova would 

 probably not be impregnated. By taking a second or even a 

 third male under such circumstances good eggs may often be 

 saved. I have seen the time when good milt was difficult to 

 obtain late in the season, even from- the ponds of a well-ordered 

 fish farm. 



These matters must be learned by practice and experience. 

 It is as needful now-a-days for a would-be fish culturist first to go 

 as a pupil to some first-class fish farm, as it is for anyone wishing 

 to be thoroughly well up in agricultural pursuits to go and learn 

 farming. There is much that cannot by any means be learned 

 from books, and there is much also that one who is not already 

 skilled in the work must be taught by an expert, not only 

 practically but theoretically. A thorough knowledge of the 

 development of the embryo under varied circumstances and 

 surroundings is very essential, and can only be acquired by a good 

 deal of thoroughly practical work with the microscope. 



When viewed through a high power immediately upon 

 extrusion from the fish, the milt is found to contain an enormous 

 number of minute organisms called spermatozoa, which at first 

 are very lively, and move about rapidly by means of flagella. Very 

 soon their activity begins to cease, and in less than a couple of 

 minutes they usually cease to move. In one part of the shell of 

 the ovum is a minute aperture called the micropyle, and by means 

 of this micropyle one of the spermatozoa is enabled to enter the 

 egg and impregnation is effected. The reason for being 

 expeditious in the work will be at once apparent when these facts 

 are considered. 



During the first few weeks of their existence the eggs are very 

 delicate, and a very slight shock or vibration will often so disturb 

 their organism as to kill them, but strange to say, this does not 

 apply to the first twenty-four hours or more after they are taken 

 from the fish, during which time they will bear any reasonable 

 amount of shaking, but are very sensitive to temperature. This 



