78 FISH CrLTUEE. 



knows who has been on hoard ship in a stiff breeze 

 the sensation caused by thumping. Up go the bows 

 of the vessel at an angle of 45°, under the effect of 

 one wave; down they go thump on the crest of 

 another. A huge wave comes like an avalanche 

 against the bows of the ship, and each of these blows 

 communicates a fearful shock and a jar to every 

 object animate or inanimate throughout the entire 

 vessel. No machinery that could be applied, that I 

 can conceive, would overcome the sensation of this 

 shock ; and it is precisely shocks of this nature that 

 destroy the delicate system or organization within 

 the egg. Half a dozen such shocks would, I firmly 

 believe, go far to destroy almost every ova when 

 first taken from the fish ; and although the ova might 

 stDl retain a portion of its vitality, and might remain 

 unchanged in colour even for weeks, I should place 

 no dependence whatever on the possibility of its 

 ever being subsequently hatched to any good purpose ; 

 and even if a small portion should retain sufficient 

 vitality, in spite of all, to hatch out, I greatly doubt 

 if the proceeds would live a week. The dashing 

 against the gravel or the rolling may no doubt be 

 overcome, but the thumping I despair of When the 

 eyes begin to be visible in the ova, these shocks 

 axe of comparatively little importance. I don't, of 



