90 Salmon at the Antipodes. 



CHAPTBE XII. 



HATCHING FISH OVA IN MOIST AIE. 



As the mode of hatching in moist air has 

 not been tried, as far as I can learn, at any 

 of the great fish-hatching establishments in 

 Europe or America, there may be reasons 

 which do not occur to me which might hinder 

 its success, but there are several advantages 

 which the plan possesses over that usually 

 adopted. Those who have succeeded in hatch- 

 ing the eggs of any of the salmonidse will 

 know that one of the great dangers to which 

 the life of the embryo is exposed is from the 

 sediment which is deposited from the water — 

 however pure it may seem — which is used in 

 hatching. With a low temperature the time 

 of incubation is lengthened, and this evil is 

 then greater. Even filtering will not entirely 

 prevent it, and where a strong current is used, 

 no efficient filtering apparatus can be arranged 



