TAKING THE EGGS. IO3 



spawning makes matters still worse. During the latter 

 part of the season, the water for the spawning pans 

 should be taken from the spring, and, if necessary, 

 kept at the spring temperature by artificial heat. 



3. Make quick work in impregnating the eggs. Have 

 everything ready beforehand, so as not to lose a mo- 

 ment's time after the fish are in the tub. Do not be 

 ovei two minutes with any one pan, and take but one 

 layer of eggs to a pan. By these precautions you will 

 secure absorbing eggs and active zoosperms and a 

 good intermingling of both, even at the minimum 

 estimate of the period of their effectiveness. You 

 will also thus avoid the reabsorption of milt by the 

 males, which will sometimes happen when they are 

 disturbed.* 



4. Stir the water well in the pans when first poured 

 in, but not afterwards. This precaution is, of course, 

 to effect a thorough distribution of the spermatozoa 

 through the water, to act upon the eggs. After the 

 eggs begin to adhere, leave them perfectly quiet till 

 they separate spontaneously. I have heard it said 

 that the water should be stirred during the whole time 

 of the adhering of the eggs, but this is a mistake. 



5. Allow the eggs ample time to separate. It will 

 do no harm if you leave the eggs an hour in the pan 

 with the milt, but it will do harm to move them too 

 soon. Some authorities say that thirty minutes is long 



* Males having good and ready-flowing milt sometimes, when 

 frightened, seem to reabsorb it into the glands, so that it cannot 

 be pressed out naturally. By immersing the fish in warm water, 

 however, say at 70 Fahrenheit, the glands will be relaxed so that 

 the milt will flow copiously again. 



