HATCHING THE EGGS. 



147 



packed in wet moss, the conditions of hatching are 

 supplied, namely, a little moisture and plenty of 

 air. Moss is at the same time so soft that it will not 

 bruise the eggs. Hence, wet moss is just the thing 

 to pack fish eggs in. The moss containing the eggs 

 can be packed in anything which admits air and is 

 not injured by moisture. 



For packing in large quantities, a basket answers very 

 well. Fish eggs have sometimes been sent in small 

 quantities in a perforated percussion-cap box, and in tin 

 snuff-boxes. If sent by express without an attendant, 

 the basket or box containing them should be packed 

 in a still larger basket or box, containing hay or 

 shavings or sawdust, to soften the force of accidental 

 concussions, and to keep the temperature of the eggs 

 equable. 



The usual way in practice to pack the trout eggs for 

 transportation, with small quantities, is that adopted 

 by Seth Green, which is to pack them in circular tin 

 boxes, not over three or four inches in depth,* with a 



* A circular tin box 6 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep is 

 supposed to be able to hold about 5,000 eggs ; but the best way 



