48 FISH HATCHING. 



found that all the females, except one, 

 had entirely got rid of their ova, and the 

 seventh partly so, and that every fish, male 

 and female, except the one which had only 

 partially spawned, was absolutely gorged 

 with ova. 



" I never remember to have seen either of 

 these incidents recorded before ; and they 

 are both capable of being verified by ample 

 testimony. What wonder that trout should 

 be scarce when both mother and father 

 devour the ova ! " 



Again, Mr. Ashworth tells me that he has 

 taken no less than 500 peas (fish eggs) from 

 the maw of one trout. He placed these by 

 themselves in a hatching-box, and most of 

 them in due time produced young fish. 

 Salmon, too, will eat their own eggs, and we 



