88 FISH CULTUKE. 



gladly enter upon so interesting and pretty a study, 

 and the sale of ova would, as I have previously 

 remarked, render such an establishment almost self- 

 supporting. 1 By the means I have described the 

 whole operation may be conducted. Nay, rivers even 

 might be stocked by the continuous use of a few 

 of these apparatus ; nor do I think the day is far 

 distant when the present taste for aquariums will 

 in this way, as I have said, be turned to a useful 

 purpose. 



There is one other species of contrivance used occa- 

 sionally in France I believe the floating apparatus. 

 I have never seen one of these in operation, but 

 can easily conceive that they possess many advan- 

 tages in some places. Mr. Fry mentions them. They 

 are composed of wicker or basket work, somewhat 

 after the shape and fashion of the baskets called 

 by poulterers and others " flats/' save that they are 

 shallower and of course more carefully made. The 

 ova is deposited on a grille within it, and the basket 

 is floated on some gentle but clear stream, the basket 

 being weighted just so much as to allow an inch of 

 water to flow over the ova, and being kept in its 



1 The Commissioners of the Irish Salmon Fisheries have hatched 

 a considerable number of salmon ova, and tried some interesting 

 experiments, in their offices at the Custom House in Dublin. 



