TAKING THE EGGS. 99 



abdomen, except to push out the few remaining eggs, 

 after the main part of the stripping is done. Let all 

 the pressure at first/ be at the upper end, and always 

 let the thumb follow the eggs, and never get in ad- 

 vance of them. Inflammation of the organs at the 

 lower part of the abdomen is often produced by neg- 

 lect of this precaution, the result of which is an entire 

 stoppage of eggs and ultimate death from ulceration. 



When the fish struggles, as you are taking the 

 spawn, do not squeeze it any harder than you can 

 help, but hold your left thumb firmly on the abdomen, 

 just above the eggs, and the struggles of the fish will 

 only help the flow of the eggs. Indeed, I usually try to 

 make the fish really spawn herself. 



You must keep your attention fixed incessantly on 

 the fish in your hands, or it will squirm itself out of your 

 grasp when you least expect it, and in a way that you 

 cannot account for. You will probably drop a few fish 

 occasionally, even after some experience, but it will do 

 no harm if the fish does not fall into the spawning 

 dish. This you must guard against, as a few lashes 

 of its body then may kill a great many eggs. Be 

 careful also not to let the trout in its struggles scrape 

 the slime off its body ; for this, especially in the first 

 part of the season, will cause fungus to grow, and the 

 end is death. 



IMPREGNATING THE EGGS. 



All fish eggs were formerly impregnated in water, a 

 depth of one or two inches in the spawning pans being 

 generally used. This was the universal custom in this 



