. SPA WNING. 29 



proper arrangements have been made, and that the 

 actual process of spawning is being carried out. The 

 spawning pans are laid on the ground or on a box, 

 tilted a little to one end by a stone or stick, quite dry. 

 A hen fish is taken out of the tub and allowed to kick 

 about for a few seconds to render it less difficult to 

 hold, and induce it to yield its eggs more freely. The 

 operator then, with a piece of flannel, holds the head 

 of the fish carefully, but firmly, in his left hand, and 

 his assistant keeps it extended by grasping it just above 

 the tail, but below the vent, a piece of flannel being 

 used to secure a firm grasp. The fish is held side- 

 ways, with the vent as near the bottom of the spawning 

 pan as possible, and the operator with his right hand 

 strips the fish. Some operators begin at the upper end 

 of the ovary, which extends nearly to the pectoral fin, 

 and carry the pressure gently, but quickly, to the vent, 

 only using the thumb and fourth finger. Others first 

 press out the eggs nearest the vent, and then work up 

 the ovary, squeezing the eggs out portion by portion 

 until all are removed. So long as no backward pres- 

 sure is allowed, which would injure the fish, this is a 

 good method. 



Whatever plan be adopted, it must be carried out 

 rapidly and gently ; if the fish be faint, or refuses to 

 yield all its eggs, it must be put into a vessel of fresh 

 water for a few minutes, whilst another hen is stripped, 

 by which time it will probably have recovered, and can 

 be completely emptied. When one or two hens have 

 been stripped, the cock is held over the eggs, and his 

 milt taken in the same way, except that the testes or 

 milt bags do not extend so far up the fish as ovaries ; 

 in fact, not much more than half-way between the vent 



