THE HATCHING OP OVA. 95 



be heaped up slightly to make mimic shallows for 

 the fish to bask on, and at intervals of a foot or 

 eighteen inches along the side of the box should be 

 placed half bricks, these causing an eddy and a 

 still resting-place, behind which the little fish will 

 shelter. If this be not done, and the stream chance 

 to be at all strong, the weaker ones will be driven 

 down against the lower grating, and will there, in 

 aU probability, perish. A pond, of course, should 

 be made upon similar principles, and should be 

 carefully gravelled. I do not, however, hold with 

 keeping the fry a day after they are able to roam 

 about and seek their own living. I have heard 

 people urge, that if the young fish are turned into 

 the river at that early age, they wiU fall a prey to 

 predaceous fish. It is possible that a small ]per- 

 centage of them may, but the remainder wUl early 

 learn to know their enemies and avoid them ; 

 besides, in putting them into the river, the most 

 shallow places at the sides and the most sheltered 

 spots should be selected, and the fish should be^ 

 distributed in small numbers in such places as 

 predaceous fish are least likely to come and look 

 for them. Added to this, the remainder will thrive 

 so much better in the wider area of the river, 

 and will grow so much faster, that this will almost 



