Spawning. 45 



and a half, or two at the most ; when this time 

 is elapsed, only- in some few spermatozoa can 

 there be seen particular movements and agonized 

 convulsions. 



" When, at the issuing from the fish, the milt 

 is received in a dry vessel, it does not change 

 for many hours, and during this interval the 

 spermatozoa do not use the power of beginning 

 to move as they do when placed in contact 

 with water. Closed in a dry vial, and well 

 corked, the milt preserves its impregnating 

 virtue during six days. 



" From these observations, as also from the 

 fact that the eggs as well as the milt are ob- 

 tained slowly, their entire mass not being able 

 to issue at once, M. Vrasski arrived at the 

 conclusion, that when they were received in 

 water, the greater part of the eggs attempted 

 to saturate themselves with it, and the sperma- 

 tozoa ceased to move almost before it was pos- 

 sible for the fish-breeder to mix the eggs with 



