HATCHING. 37 



CHAPTER V. 

 HATCHING. 



T F everything were quite right, hatching would be a 

 ^ very easy affair. If every egg were impregnated, 

 and no enemies existed, the fish-hatcher's labours 

 would be light indeed ; but this is not always the case, 

 especially at first. If, however, the directions about 

 the spawning be faithfully carried out, and the hatching 

 apparatus fitted as above advised, we may safely anti- 

 cipate good results. 



When the eggs are once placed in the hatching 

 troughs, they must remain there until the eyes of the 

 embryo are distinctly visible through the shell. When 

 thus " eyed " they may be moved carefully, if needful, 

 and even packed in moss and sent long distances ; 

 but, excepting when sending a present of eggs to a 

 friend, there will never be any necessity for doing so 

 in the private hatching-house, and the eggs should be 

 left at rest until hatched out. 



They must, however, be daily examined, and all 

 dead eggs carefully removed with the forceps or 

 nippers ; and great care must be taken at first in 

 doing this so as not to injure a living one near it, and 

 hence the benefit of spreading the eggs at first, and 

 once for all, with a feather or otherwise, when laying 

 them in the trough. 



If kept in heaps the feather is used to spread them, 

 and thus the odds are that a second heap is formed, 

 and the daily examination is much prolonged, to say 



