TROUT BREEDING. 53 



holding the tail, is represented in the figure in the front 

 of this book; hold the vent of the fish beneath the 

 surface of the .water in the pan, bending the head and tail 

 slightly upwards. If the milt is well matured, and he does 

 not struggle or hold it back, a small portion will be emitted; 

 then with the forefinger of the right hand, the other three 

 still encircling the head and shoulders, rub the abdomen 

 gently towards the vent, extracting all the milt he will 

 give, and stir the water with his tail. If the fish are pas- 

 sive, as they generally are during the operation, the hold 

 on the head and shoulders may be relaxed, and the right 

 hand passed along the body below the head, pressing 

 the milt or the ova towards the vent. The female is 

 handled in the same manner, the eggs flowing in a pale 

 yellow stream from the vent; if she is fully ripe all the 

 eggs should be taken from her; if she is large and struggles, 

 and the same remark applies of course to the males, an 

 assistant should hold the tail. The mere bending of the 

 head and tail, as illustrated, will frequently cause the eggs 

 to flow if the fish is fully ripe. The indications of ripeness 

 when taken in the hand are, firstly, a pale sickly yellow 

 tinge; secondly, she is very soft and flabby; thirdly, the 

 vent is exceedingly protuberant and of a dark purple color ; 

 fourthly, the eggs are loose in the ovary, and fall towards 

 the vent when she is held with the head up, and towards 

 the head if held by the tail, and will flow, as I have 

 just remarked, without pressure, by bending the vent well 

 down. If the eggs are not ripe enough to be extriTded, 

 they will be felt like shot or small peas in the belly. The 

 5* 



