TRANSPORTATION OF THE EGGS. 31 



By tliis method, the eggs of the salmon family, 

 as well as many other species of fish, may be 

 kept for a month or more. M. Costa kept them 

 in this manner nearly two months. 



Before removing them from the boxes, the box 

 should be dipped in clean water, and the sand 

 permitted to become thoroughly saturated, other- 

 wise the eggs might be injured during the process 

 of removal. In some instances, M. Costa found 

 the eggs, upon being removed from the sand, a 

 little shriveled; after being placed in the hatch- 

 ing apparatus, they soon regained their former 

 plumpness, and a very large proportion of them 

 gave birth to healthy young fish. 



It is of the utmost importance that the eggs 

 be not packed in sand immediately after their 

 fecundation, but should be permitted to remain 

 quiet in pure water running water, if possible 

 for several days; in fact, if they could so remain 

 for two weeks it would be preferable. 



M. Costa recommends that the embryo fish 

 should be so far developed that the eyes may be 

 perceived through the membraneous covering of 

 the eggs, looking like two little black specks. 

 The reason for this delay in packing the eggs is 

 simply this: 



The vitality of the embryo is much more sen- 

 sitive more liable to be destroyed at this early 



