THE NEW ART OF BREEDING FISH. 165 



presB purpose of disturbing and muddying the water, 

 thereby to conceal the eggs, in a degree at least, from 

 their numerous enemies lying in wait below. When 

 spawning has once commenced, it seems that the 

 male can no longer retain his milt, nor the female 

 her roe, the emission continuing under all circum- 

 stances. This has often been noticed, even long 

 after death. The female salmon leaves the spawn- 

 ing-bed many times during the day, and makes little 

 excursions about the river, generally into the dead 

 water above. At times these trips are somewhat 

 extended — say to a distance of some seventy .or eighty 

 paces. " But," said Mr. Keillor, " as from my ele- 

 vated position I could watch all her movements, I 

 feel perfectly confident that, during her absence from 

 the spawning-bed, she never in any way comes in 

 contact with the male fish. I am at a loss to un- 

 derstand the cause of these trips. At times, I have 

 thought it is for the purpose of resting herself after 

 the fatigue or exhaustion of spawning ; at others, I 

 have imagined it to be a special provision of nature ; 

 for if her original position were a bad one, and she 

 were to remain stationary, all her roe would be des- 

 troyed ; whereas, by occasionally moving, as she 

 does, about the stream, and dropping her eggs as she 

 goes, some of them, at least, are pretty certain to 

 find shelter." The specific gravity of the roe is but 

 little greater than water ; when once, therefore, in 

 motion, unless intercepted, it will float a considerable 

 distance down the stream. A large portion of the 



