flow to obtain it. I51 
benefit of those who are about to commence for the first time, 
and with a view to preventing blunders of such a kind, I will 
briefly give some simple directions. 
There are so many ways of capturing the fish that I will not 
enter much into that subject, beyond saying that we use the 
most convenient and effective nets that ingenuity can devise, for 
taking the fish in the quickest and simplest way without hurting 
them. Much must depend upon the nature of the stream from 
which they are taken ; in some places a simple bag-net will do, in 
others large landing-nets are very effective, and in some a carefully 
constructed trap-net in which the fish is caught in a bag the 
moment he strikes is a good net to use. The fish are not being 
captured by way of sport, but for the most excellent of all reasons, 
that we may care for the eggs, amongst which there is such great 
destruction when left to nature. 
The fish then are to be handled very gently and taken great 
care of, and after we have ‘‘stripped” them of their eggs, they 
will be very carefully returned to the water from which they came. 
It is the greatest mistake to suppose that any harm is done to 
them by taking their eggs. I never yet saw a fish killed by being 
spawned. 
There is danger in leaving them too long in tubs or cans, 
however ; they may die or jump out, and they should, therefore, 
be detained as short a time as possible, and should be carefully 
watched while they are waiting. An excellent safeguard is to 
stretch a piece of fine netting over the tub and turn a current of 
water through it, which will keep the fish in a lively condition for 
an hour or two. I have used perforated cans or cages sunk in 
the stream, and fish may be safely left in these for several 
hours if necessary. If not crowded they may be left over a night 
when circumstances really demand it, but I never keep them so 
long if I can avoid it, as they rub the slime off their bodies and 
require to be dipped before bcing sct at liberty. 
Having provided the necessary nets and a tub or tubs, the 
fish caught should be sorted. To do this place the bag of one of 
the landing-nets in a tub so that the fish can be placed in it and 
kept there. A net such as the one described in my chapter on 
stocking, and which is used forreviving the fish before or after a 
