Collecting the Ova. 7 1 



tion of taking the eggs requires to be per- 

 formed with great care, so as not to injure the 

 fish by rough usage. They are very difficult 

 to hold, and if the gills be injured, or the skin 

 broken, it is almost certain to result in the 

 death of the fish. 



An apparatus has been described to me, 



invented, I think, by Mr. Howard, the curator 



of the New Zealand hatching establishment, 



which obviates to some extent the danger of 



hurting the fish in taking the ova. A sort of 



sloping table is used, the top of which is about 



two feet six inches long and nine inches wide. 



To the lower side of this a small net is tacked. 



The fish is laid upon the table, which is 



padded, and the net is brought over it, and 



fastened by hooks so that the fish cannot 



struggle much, or hurt itself. A shelf is fixed 



below, to support a pan so placed as to catch 



the ova, and by passing the fingers with a 



gentle pressure along the belly towards the 



vent, if the fish be ripe, the operation can be 



successfully accomplished in a few seconds, 



and the fish may then be returned to the 



water without injury. Where trout are kept 



in ponds, this method may be adopted success- 



