58 FISH CULTURE. 



the belly of the fish, with a slight pressure on the 

 down-stroke towards the vent, sufficient to express 

 the spawn, which, if the fish be willing, will flow 

 forth in a continued stream until the supply be 

 exhausted. I say, if the fish be willing, because in 

 some cases the fish will refuse to give out the spawn ; 

 when this is so, use no violent pressure, but exercise 

 a little patience, and lay the fish aside for a minute 

 or two, when in all probability its scruples will be 

 overcome on the next application. 



If the fish be a large one and struggles much, the 

 assistance of a second person in holding the tail may 

 be available, but it is of course very desirable that no 

 hard squeezing or undue violence should be used 

 whereby the fish may be injured and the spawn 

 damaged. A flat, shallow, tin dish, such as it is 

 customary to use for baking pies in, is the best 

 receptacle in which to catch the spawn : it should 

 be about half-filled with pure water. If the spawn 

 renders the water turbid and thick something is 

 wrong, and possibly the fish is not mature. 



Before taking the ova from the fish the operator 

 should collect in tubs of water about him the fish 

 he intends to operate upon, and it should be his first 

 care to see that he has a plentiful supply of mature 

 male fish ; it is advisable, indeed, to have more males 



