30 THE EGG HAEVEST. 



sticks removed, holes filled up, and jagged points of rocks covered 

 over with gravel, as in a salmon river. As a rule, the nets brought 

 are not suitable for the water, and beyond placing a trammel at 

 one end of a likely spawning-ground, and sweeping a net down to 

 it, little can be effected. In lakes where the spawning streams 

 are deficient in size matters are much better, as, by constantly net- 

 ting the lake near their mouths, a fab: number of fish can be 

 caught, and by placing those in a floating stew until ripe several 

 gallons of ova can probably be obtained ; but, except in lakes very 

 favourably situated, such as Lochleven, where the men are 

 accustomed to the nets, and thoroughly acquainted with the shots, 

 the eggs, when all expenses are added together, will seldom be 

 found to have cost less than 15s. per thousand. 



At Howietoun, 20,000,000 trout ova can be produced annu- 

 ally at a cost of a little over 1000 a year ; and when the demand 

 has risen sufficiently to absorb this large quantity, eggs could be 

 incubated, packed, and delivered in any part of the United 

 Kingdom for 12, 10s. per 100,000, and yet leave a fair margin 

 of profit. 



