142 THE TROUT 



are then removed bodily and placed in other waters, 

 where the eggs in due course hatch out and replenish 

 the stock of fish. This rough-and-ready method is 

 unfortunately of no avail for propagating trout, the 

 eggs of which do not float. 



A more striking example of Chinese ingenuity in 

 fish hatching is mentioned by Bertram as f a piscicul- 

 tural novelty/ ' When the proper season for hatching 

 arrives, 7 he says, ( they empty a hen's egg by means of 

 a small aperture, sucking out the natural contents, 

 and then, after substituting fish-spawn, close up the 

 opening. The egg, thus manipulated, is placed for 

 a few days under a hen.' With less than his usual 

 thoroughness Bertram omits to describe the result of 

 this charming method of incubation ; and one is left 

 to speculate whether it will be a fowl or a flying-fish. 

 It is not fair to condemn a new method without trial. 

 But not having myself tried this Chinese novelty, I 

 hesitate to recommend it to those of my readers who 

 look for practical results in trout culture. 



In the days of the Roman Emperors vast sums 

 were spent by luxurious nobles on fish rearing in 

 Italy. Huge reservoirs were constructed with chan- 

 nels connecting them with the sea. Lucullus is said 

 to have supplied his house at Tusculum with salt- 

 water fish in this way. Oyster farming was introduced 



