60 THE NEW ART OF "BREEDING FISH. 



CHAPTER THIRD. 



DEVELOPMENT AND HATCHING OF THE EGGS, AND 

 OABES THEY REQUIRE DURING INCUBATION. 



A FEW moments suffice for a very appreciable 

 change which takes place in eggs artificially procured 

 and fecundated. The contents seem troubled, become 

 more opaque than at the moment of expulsion from 

 the female, and then insensibly retake their transpa- 

 rent hue ; but in the mean time a little spot, not pre- 

 existing, begins to show itself on a point of the 

 globe in the interior of the egg. This is caused by 

 a coalition of granules, forming what is termed the 

 germ, and the coalescence of oleaginous molecules 

 which form about the germ. This modification, 

 which has been erroneously supposed to be the cer- 

 tain proof of fecundation, takes place as well with 

 those eggs submitted to the action of the milt, which 

 become impregnated, as with those that do not : at 

 first both kinds appear exactly alike ; except that in 

 the unimpregnated the phenomena is accomplished 

 a little more slowly and irregularly. 

 - But if to the naked eye there is no difference in 

 appearance for the first few moments, or even for 

 the first few days, aU doubt will be removed by a re- 

 course to magnifying instruments. 



The barren eggs deteriorate rapidly, become more 



