How to obtain tt. 173 
found a very good plan to have at least one spare hatching box. 
It can be made ready to receive the grilles from another 
box. This box may then be cleansed, and made ready for 
those from the next, and so on, right through the hatchery- 
Thus the fish, or ‘“alevins” as they are called at this stage, 
have perfectly clean boxes in which to commence life, a most 
important matter considering the extremely delicate mechanism of 
the little creatures. More than this, it will be found, in prac- 
tice, that on emerging from the egg they slip through between the 
glasses of the grille, and find their leve on the bottom of the box, 
whereas the egg-shells remain where they were, with the ex- 
ception of a few which are carried over the end of the grille by 
the “alevins,” in their efforts to escape from their prisons. They 
are, therefore, at once separated, and all being hatched, the grille 
can be lifted out with the shells upon it, and the fish will be found 
underneath it, packed together, somewhat reminding one of a 
swarm of bees. The eggs can all be hatched in a few hours, by 
regulating the temperature of the water, and in a large hatchery 
this is a matter of importance, and due provision should be made 
for it. All that is necessary is to raise the temperature a few 
degrees in the boxes in which the eggs are on the point of hatch- 
ing. They can then be hatched off, and the shells lifted out with 
the otherwise empty grilles. There is no trouble from clogging 
of screens, or anything else. The few shells which remain in the 
box may be left for the present, and willdono harm. Put on the 
lid and leave the whole affair till the next day. 
The egg-shells remaining may then be cleared by drawing 
the plug behind the screen at the end of the hatching box, and so 
inducing an extra current. The water supply may or may not be 
stopped, according to the will of the operator, as he may find 
best. In either case the result will be the same—the water will 
be lowered and so lessened in bulk, the current will be increased, 
the “alevins” will remain packed, and the shells will be carried 
on to the screen. Care should be taken that the box is not so far 
drained that the fish are left uncovered even for a moment. After 
re-inserting the plug the water rises, and a bowl should be brought 
alongside and placed on a table which, when not in use, is kept 
under the hatching boxes. 
