164 How to obtain it. 



fish will answer admirably (see Fig. 13, page 155) for this purpose, 

 and with a good current of water flowing through it, twenty grilles or 

 more may be reversed in succession and all the eggs washed at once. 

 Much care is required in carrying out a piece of work of this kind. 

 It should not be done thoughtlessly. Eyed ova are very easily 

 suffocated, and this fact should be borne in mind at all times 

 when it becomes necessary to deal with them in large masses, or 

 when they happen to be placed temporarily in bowls or other 

 vessels containing still water, as may be the case when packing 

 for a journey. 



Should any eggs adhere to the grilles, wash them off gently. 

 The dirt will by this time have mostly separated from the eggs, 

 which may be washed in the usual way as recommended at 

 spawning time, great care being exercised in the operation. When 

 as clean as they can be made, replace them on clean grilles in the 

 newly-cleaned hatching-box, and repeat the process with another 

 lot, and so on through the hatchery. With regard to the washing 

 of younger eggs, I would advise the reader, if disposed to try it, 

 to experiment on a few first, and note the result. More practical 

 information will be procured that way than from any books. The 

 best way, however, is to guard against sediment, and there are few 

 places where it cannot be kept out of a hatchery. The filter 

 screens should be cleaned twice daily, or oftener, if required. To 

 do this, take them out one at a time, and wash them under a tap. 

 A brush will be found useful for this purpose. 



During each day of the period of incubation there will be a 

 few white eggs to pick out which should be duly attended to. 

 After a washing process there will probably be a great many, or 

 what will appear to be a great many in comparison with other 

 days. There is not necessarily any cause for alarm at this, as 

 the agitation will cause the water to percolate the shells of a 

 large proportion of the blind or unimpregnated eggs, which will 

 thereupon turn opaquely white. There will be less picking to 

 do afterwards at least there ought to be and should this not 

 prove to be the case, then harm has been done to the eggs during 

 the washing operation. 



The first appearance of the eye spots is always an interesting 

 sight, and especially to those who have only just commenced 



