156 THE NEW AET OF BREEDING FISH. 



of rivers. The next step to bo taken is towards 

 procuring proper spawn for deposition in the ponds. 

 To do so we must watoh carefully some natural 

 spawning-ponds of the river at the time when the 

 operations of spawning are going on, and we must 

 capture a pair of salmon that have actually com- 

 menced the spawning process. If "we do not, we 

 cannot be sure of procuring spawn in a ripe state. 

 We must avoid capturing at random any pair of 

 fish we may see on the spawning-bed, because many 

 consorted males and females are seen hovering about 

 the spawning-grounds several days before they begin 

 depositing their spawn. If from such fish ova are 

 expressed by manipulation, they wUl be found in an 

 immature state, their pores not as yet open for the 

 reception or absorption of the milt, and expressing 

 it over them will not produce impregnation. On 

 the contrary, when a pair, of course male and' female, 

 that have commenced spawning, are captured, their 

 ova and milt will be found in the mature state re- 

 quired, or, at least, a portion of them. A vessel, 

 can, pail, or small tub must be ready, containing a 

 small portion of clean gravel from the river, and as 

 much river water as wUl cover the gravel, and the 

 seed about to be deposited in it. The female sal- 

 mon just captured must be held up by the head over 

 the vessel, with one hand, whUst, with the other 

 hand, gentle pressure is made down the belly of the 

 fish. This pressure will cause the expulsion of all 

 the ova that are mature, which will be received in 



