AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 467 



back beautifully tinged witli blue. The pectoral fins extended 

 to the tail; they were lanceolate in fonii; the lower part of the 

 tail was far larger than the upper, and much forked. 



During a recent visit to my farm, I had the good fortune to be 

 able to settle the vexed question which has bothered all the natu- 

 ralists from the days of Aristotle to the present, respecting eels; 

 whether they were oviparous or viviparous. They are, as I sur- 

 mised before, oviparous. I found in a specimen examined by a 

 microscope, an immense number of ova, imbedded in a white 

 substance that has always been taken for fat, in the female as in 

 the male. It presents the same white appearance in both. Mon- 

 sieur Coste, of the College of France, saj's the manner the eel 

 generates is wholly unknown. 



Fish eggs may be fecundated and transported with the greatest 

 ease to very great distances, without fear of failure, particularly 

 the salmon and brook trout, which require from sixty to ninety 

 days to mature. When two black specks are seen through the 

 membraneous cuticle that covers the egg, they may be packed for 

 exportation. The best plan is to place them between wet woolen 

 cloths, about fourteen inches square, and pack in alternate layers 

 in boxes, perforated at the top and bottom, so that the water used 

 to moisten them at stated periods, may pass off, after having satu- 

 rated them sufficiently. 



Another plan is to place the ova on aquatic grass, to which 

 they will adhere, and then fecundate them by gently squeezing 

 the male in such a manner that the milt will flow upon them, 

 after which they may be placed in pure running water for a week 

 or two, according to the variety offish, after which pack tliem in 

 a box, as above described, and keep them constantly wet. 



If intended to be sent to a great distance, you may place a 

 layer of coarse sand, partially wet, in the bottom of a box four 

 inches in depth; on this lay the prepared eggs separately, and 

 cover them with an inch of sand — then eggs and sand alternately 

 until the box is full ; before the cover is screwed on, place the 

 whole for two hours in water and ship it. 



I would recommend that it should be kept in a place where 

 the temperature is equable, and they will keep perfectly well for 



