168 THE NEW AET OF BREEDING FISH. 



for a minute together. This almost incessant motion 

 of the male seems a special provision of nature ; for, 

 were he to remain still, only that portion of the ova 

 which passes over him would be impregnated, whereas, 

 by moving so much about, his milt becomes distri- 

 buted, in a manner, over the whole stream." 



I must say that, if this is the breeding process 

 pursued by Swedish salmon, it is a very improvident 

 one. I cannot see how a tithe of the ova can be 

 impregnated by it, since so many must escape com- 

 ing in contact with the milt, so many must be washed 

 uselessly away, and so many eaten by trout and 

 other predatory fish. I can vouch for it that our 

 Sutherlandshire salmon are much more " cannie" in 

 their manner of accouchement, &c. An illustration, 

 very curious, is given of three pair of salmon in the 

 act of spawning. We see one female salmon on her 

 belly, about to deposit her ova, a male lower down 

 in a line with her, his head turned aside, " casting a 

 jealous glance at- an interloper." Mr. Lloyd, carry- 

 ing on the description of the diagram, says : — " Second 

 pair in the centre — ^female on her side, in the act of 

 distributing her ova' (when shed, with her tail), the 

 male passive, and the fry (predatory trout, &c.) re- 

 velling in the passing cloud. Third pair to the right 

 — the female passive, the male seizing a poacher on 

 his manor, in which interval, it will be observed, an 

 intruder takes advantage of the liege lord's absence, 

 and is about assuming his place. The zigzag lines 

 represent the manner in which the milt of the male 



