246 PROPAGATION OF FISH. 



sisted in. The only entire failure I ever heard of was 

 effected in this manner, a friend succeeding in killing 

 several fish without raising one. 



"Where there can be made a convenient stew-pond, 

 with a gravelly head-water or springy sides, there is no 

 difficulty, as the fish may be taken at any time, and may 

 be kept here till the proper season arrives. Eut it is 

 said, though on questionable authority, if there are no 

 appropriate spawning-beds at hand, the nature of the fish 

 changes, and they either delay or cease spawning altoge- 

 ther. The roe is incased in a skin, the rupture of which 

 will produce death till the time of maturity, when it is 

 absorbed and the eggs lie free in the abdomen and can 

 be readily extruded. 



The female is taken in the hand when ready — and 

 observe that fish as well as other animals will be gentle 

 in proportion as they are handled gently — the abdomen 

 is pressed carefully with the other hand, the eggs are 

 forced out and allowed to fall into a basin or pail of pure 

 fresh spring water. "When all the spawn is deposited, it 

 is as well to agitate it with a feather, and, if there is 

 extraneous matter, to pour off and renew the water. 

 The male fish is then taken and treated in the same way, 

 the milt being allowed to fall into the same basin and 

 brought into thorough contact with the eggs by the use 

 of the feather again. The milt of one male will answer 

 for the spawn of several females, and it is said tha* the 

 milt will be renewed in the male in the course of a few 

 days ; but this, not corresponding at all wth the female, is 

 at least doubtful. The reason of the superabundance of 

 milt over the roe is a simple provision of nature to make 



