222 



Suspending the animation of ova. Chapt. xvi. 



"heat of India there is placed readily at our command 

 "an equally potent, much more simple, and much less 

 "expensive, means of suspending the animation of ova 

 "encased in sun-dried mire. There are numerous in- 

 stances on record of vivified fish also (of particular 

 "sorts) both as fry and as mature fish, being thus kept 

 "alive in the drought, and the crocodile sestivates in the 

 "sun-burnt clay of a Ceylon tank in the same way as the 

 "alligator of the Mississipi hybernates in the frost. This 

 "interesting fact in Natural History may be made of 

 "practical use in pisciculture, and the experiment would 

 "seem to be at least worth a trial." If the suggestion 

 prove practical, pisciculturists of tropical climes will be 

 at no disadvantage but rather the contrary as compared 

 in this respect with the pisciculturists of Europe. 



A sad spawn cater. 



