THE CHARS. 261 



November he mingled together the milt and roe of living 

 Chars; and then he distributed the grains, some in shallow 

 earthen pans with or without gravel, and some in finger glasses; 

 and then he covered the contents with water obtained from a 

 spring, to the depth of three or four inches. This water was 

 changed twice a day, with a temperature between 50° and 55°, 

 and the young ones were produced in from forty-five to sixty- 

 six days. These young Chars were very active, and readily hid 

 themselves under stones; but it was six weeeks from what may 

 be termed their birth before the remains of the egg had become 

 absorbed into the body, and they stood in need of a further 

 supply of food. It may be questioned, however, whether 

 the temperature here noted had not quickened their early 

 development and subsequent growth in a higher degree than 

 is natural to them; and also whether other unusual circumstances, 

 as the absence of running river water had not a disturbing 

 influence on their ultimate fate. Although so much smaller 

 fish the grains of roe in a Char are little less in size than 

 those of a Salmon, and may be supposed subject to the same 

 laws of atmospheric action, in conformity with which Dr. Davy 

 admits that with a lower temperature the extrication of the 

 young will be so much the longer delayed. 



