326 DOMESTICATED TROUT. 



There might be a danger that these clips would not stand 

 sea water ; they might easily be galvanized over, or cov- 

 ered with a waterproof varnish. 



7. Wipe the fish's face quite dry. Light a Vesuvian 

 match (not a flamer), and burn the skin of his cheek ; 

 burn marks never come out in men and animals, why 

 should they not also be permanent in fish ? The Vesu- 

 vian marks can be varied, one on the right cheek for 

 1870, two on the left cheek for 1871, and so on. 



8. Get a saddler's punch, such as is used for making 

 holes in stirrup leathers. Punch a hole in his gill-cover ; 

 the hole will only let a little more water into his gills, on 

 the principle that they slit the nostrils of the mules that 

 carry copper ore up the Andes, it lets more air into their 

 lungs. 



9. Get a sharp clip, such as is used by the "tickets, 

 please," man at the railway station. Clip bits out of the 

 edges of the fish's gills, or out of his anal fin. This fin is 

 the least serviceable fin to the fish, therefore utilize it ; 

 but interfere with his tail fin, that is, his screw propeller, 

 as little as possible. 



10 Get a set of doctor's cupping instruments, cup the 

 fish on his side ; six beautiful slits are made in a moment. 

 Rub in gunpowder, and the fish is tattooed. 



n. Fasten silver wire loose around the first ray of the 

 back fin, or round the hindermost ray of the anal fin. 

 The wire must not be too loose, or it might catch in weeds, 

 etc. I am afraid tickets, unless very small, with numbers, 

 might interfere with the fish's movements. 



Whatever you do, take care not to touch or injure the 

 fish's gills. If the fish is obstreperous, do not fight with 

 him ; let him dance about a bit on the grass. A silk 

 pocket-handkerchief is the best thing to hold a slippery 

 fish ; a flannel blanket is also a useful thing. 



Do not return the fish rudely into the water; if he is 



