TO FISH CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 
existence; is another question that the future has still to solve. 
This curious combination of the long-finned and_ soft-finned 
races of fish, varieties which are wholly separated in the scien- 
tist’s classification, were undoubtedly hatched, but that they lived 
after the food-sac was absorbed, is at present undetermined. 
They may have perished like the two-headed monstrosities which 
are often born. In September, 1879, the young of the brook- 
trout and California salmon were seen to be maturing their eggs. 
This was the first time in the history of fish culture that hybrids 
gave evidence of breeding. It is asserted that among animals, 
mules are occasionally known to produce young, but this is a 
most unusual exception to a general rule. We had expected no 
more from the experiments in crossing varieties than the pro- 
duction of combinations which might be valuable in themselves, 
like the capons among fowls, or the mules among draught 
animals, but which must of necessity be purely ephemeral, and 
perishing with the lives of the individuals. But when these 
hybrid trout-salmon were opened and found to contain eggs 
quite large and well forward in maturity, it seemed possible that 
new species might be created and made permanent. The eggs 
were already larger than the mature eggs of the trout, although 
it was then early in the season, and seemed perfectly healthy. 
As time passed the parents were watched with care, and were 
soon seen to be going into the spawning-race. They apparently 
made all their preparations for spawning, began digging their 
nests, stayed about them, and proceeded in the regular way, ex- 
cept that they were never in pairs, but always single. This was 
not natural, and led to a careful examination of them individ- 
ually. After examining some fifty out of the sixty, the conclu- 
sion was reached that they were all females, which eventually | 
turned out to be the case. This was in the latter part of Novem- 
ber, 1879. Some dozen male brook-trout were then placed 
among the hybrids, to see if they would induce the latter to 
spawn. Everything soon appeared favorable for this result, the 
trout paired with the trout-salmon, they entered the race-way 
together, and occupied themselves with parental duties, but no 
results were perceived. For some reason the spawn was not 
deposited. Then some of the fish were selected to be stripped 
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