188 ON THE BREEDING OF SALMON. 



The other lot was taken from the female with which 

 the male from pond No. 3, was spawned. The unim- 

 pregnated lot was placed in the same stream with the 

 former. The impregnated lot was placed in the stream 

 of pond No. 3. To avoid contact, the unimpregnated 

 lots were, in each case, taken first and removed to a 

 distance." 



Now, I beg attention to this note. It is most impor- 

 tant as regards the question I am about to raise, and to 

 insert it, although introduced into Mr. Shaw's pamphlet 

 as supplementary to the text, is only an act of common 

 justice to that gentleman. The whole of the detailed 

 experiments, I contend, are based upon this false but 

 popular notion that the ova of the salmon, previous to 

 its being emitted is in an unimpregnated state that, 

 until brought into actual contact with the milt, it is, 

 in fact, perfectly barren and unproductive; in other 

 words, the understanding, (for despite of the above 

 note it is nothing less), upon which Mr. Shaw conducts 

 his experiments is this, that the object of the he-fish, in 

 frequenting the redd or spawning-bed, is not to copu- 

 late with its mate, but to hang over and impregnate 

 the spawn itself, to perform an amalgamating process 

 with the ova or ejected pellets, instead of holding actual 

 and direct intercourse with the she-fish. 



The averment in the note in question I hold fairly 

 open to challenge upon the ground that it is, in fact, 

 a slurring over of one of the most important points 

 connected with the breeding of salmon, and also, be- 

 cause it embodies an admission, on the part of Mr. 

 Shaw, which is very apt to impress one with the idea 

 that the experiment under detail was imperfectly, if not 

 carelessly, conducted. I allude to the insertion of the 

 words, " as I anticipated/' which phrase plainly indi- 



