THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 179 



that spring water is the best for hatching, on account not 

 only of its purity, but of its standard heat the same in 

 summer as winter, but brook water is the best for the young 

 fry after they leave the egg. A brief description of the 

 mode of trout hatching is interesting. The spawning fish, 

 male and female, being obtained, are kept in separate 

 ponds or tanks until required A shallow pan, such as is 

 used in dairies for cooling milk, is placed in position. It is 

 essential that both the ova of the female, and the milt or 

 seminal fluid of the male fish are ripe. If the eggs do not 

 flow freely under the slight pressure of the thumb they are 

 not ripe, and the fish should be put back and another taken. 

 The same with the milt. If it is ripe it will assert this fact 

 by spurting out. The female fish is caught in the right 

 hand by the head and above the tail with the left. The 

 thumb of the latter is carried above the exit of the eggs, 

 and a gradual downward striping pressure is exercised, and 

 if the ova or spawn is ripe it will flow out evenly into the 

 pan. The male fish is then held over the pan in the same 

 way, and the milt allowed to spread over the eggs. It is 

 not necessary that these should be in water, as there is 

 quite enough of the latter dripping from the struggling fish 

 to convey the milt over the eggs. The eggs, having an 

 infinitesimal orifice at one end, attract the milt, which enters 

 the orifice and the impregnation is complete. The power 

 of the eggs to attract the milt lasts about thirty minutes, 

 after which it ceases and no successful impregnation can 

 take place. Stir the eggs well with a feather, and allow 

 about two inches of water to flow over them for about forty 

 to fifty minutes ; the eggs which have hitherto been in 

 contact will separate, and these then should be washed or 

 rinsed till clean, when they may be conveyed to the hatching 



