A III erica II Fis/i cries Society 129 



the nest, fills it to the edge, or, at least, so as to cover the eggs. 

 The eggs are then loosened with a feather, working them toward 

 the center; the nest is then raised and lowered a few times and 

 tlie eggs flow with the water tlirougli the hole in the nest into 

 the tnl). The whole operation may take a lialf hour on the first 

 day : two or three days later it wonld ocen])y |)erha])s ten minntes. 

 If the nest has heen made with the ]n-oper drain and dish, the 

 eggs are removed quickly without loss or injury. They are then 

 placed in trays, which are ])ut into an ordinary hatching trough. 

 Only three trays are jdaced in each com])artmcnt, so that the 

 i^.^^i^ may have ahundance of water; each tray carries al)out ;5,000 

 eggs. The temperature of the water is 55° to oT° F. 



After hatching, the fry remain on the trays until they are 

 ready to feed — al)Out ten or twelve days. They are then trans- 

 ferred to screens in the ])()nds to feed themselves until they are 

 distrihuted. About 5U,()(»i) fry were raised in this way during 

 the present season with very little loss. 



I do not recommend that all eggs he taken from tlie nests 

 and hatched in this way. The conditions off'ered by artificial 

 hatching are as good, hut not better than the l)est natural con- 

 ditions. But every breeder of bass knows that there are many 

 nests in his ponds, where part of the eggs and fry begin to Ije- 

 come fungused from the causes indicated in this paper. If such 

 nests are on natural bottom nothing can be done to save the 

 eggs, since they cannot be removed from loose stones, gravel, 

 and sand. But if all the fish spawn on these cement nests, those 

 nests may be left in the care of the mak' which are in good con- 

 dition and are properly cared for, and the others can be saved 

 by removing the eggs. The best are not unlikely to he the nests 

 containing the largest number of eggs, and there will ])rol)ably 

 l)e a considerable nund)er of nests, so tliat the gain will be well 

 worth the cost in time and trouble. ^lany smaller losses of eggs 

 are also avoided l)y the use of these nests, since in the natural 

 nests it almost always ha]ipens that some eggs or fry are deposit- 

 ed where they are not in tlu' t'urri'nts of water, and die in con- 

 sequence. Some nests are also deserted by the male fish and an' 

 left without the natural protector. 



It is intended next season to furnish these nests for all the 



