244 PROPAGATION OF FISH. 



skin feel loose and change tlieir position at the touch. 

 The operation must be continued until the fish are 

 emptied of eggs and milt. The eggs in the pan may, at 

 intervals, be gently stirred by moving the pan ; this is to 

 change the position of the eggs, so as to be sure that all 

 come in contact with the milt, and when the operation is 

 completed, a haK-pint of water is poured on them and the 

 pan set in one of the hatching troughs through which the 

 water is running ; this will keep the eggs up to the proper 

 temperature, and prevent a sudden change when they are 

 transferred to the trough. The eggs will now agglutinate 

 or stick to the pan, and to each other, for a little while. 



The fish must be grasped by the head, if you are right- 

 handed, with the right hand, and by the tail, or rather the 

 lower part of the body, with the other hand, and held 

 over the pan with the belly near the bottom of the pan. 

 As soon as the fish is quiet, the right hand may be gently 

 slipped down from the head, and the fore-finger and thumb 

 used to preMs the belly. The fish still being held by the 

 tail, and lower part in the left hand, and partly supported, 

 perhaps, by the sleeve of the coat, or by the bare arm, and 

 the remaining fingers of the right hand. The pan should 

 be elevated at one side, during the operation of taking the 

 spawn, by standing it on a block half an inch thick, and 

 enough water will drip from the fish so that by tilting 

 and shaking it, the milt can be brought in contact with 

 the eggs. 



After stripping a female once she should be returned 

 to the tub from which she was taken, and should be 

 stripped again after a short time, during which other fish 

 are being handled. This is to get the last egg from her, 

 and if it is not done a few will remain and she will go on 



