THE GOLDFISH AND ITS CULTURE. II 



They lash the water in a lively way, twisting the posterior portion of 

 their bodies energetically and shooting through the water near its 

 surface with short tremulous movements of the fins. At places they 

 gather together in a compact mass, one tumbling over the other. 

 This is the moment when the female drops her eggs, which are' 

 immediately impregnated by the males. 



This process is repeated throughout the summer, with intervals 

 of rest during the hottest period. The eggs are of the size of a pin- 

 head, and may be either semi-transparent, yellowish, or brilliant 

 yellow in color. Whether this difference in the color of the eggs 

 has anything to do with the coloring the fish will acquire after it is 

 hatched still remains an open question. With the eggs of the trout 

 the case is different, for the culturist can predict the color of the 

 flesh of the fish when grown up; it is possible that this may also 

 apply to the goldfish. The eggs are covered with some adhesive 

 substance, mucus probably, and adhere to anything they happen to 

 touch. The water-plants in the immediate vicinity of the place 

 where the fish have been rolling about will, upon examination, be 

 found covered very profusely with them. 



The young are hatched out in from two to six days, the period of 

 incubation being determined by the temperature of the water and 

 the condition of the weather. Direct sunlight has the effect of 

 hastening the process. 



During the first few days the young fish are not able to move 

 about much ; they hang or lay about among the water-plants, obtain- 

 ing subsistence from their yolk-bag, but as soon as this is absorbed 

 they swim around on the search of something to eat. 



The color of the skin of young goldfish is at first silvery gray, but 

 at an age of six weeks this color begins to change, becoming darker 

 and assuming a cloudy appearance, finally taking on the permanent 

 color. The whole process is sometimes completed in two days, 



