59 



analogy of nature discountenances the opinion, among other 

 reasons, because it is not uncommon to find fishes with one 

 ovarium shedding spawn, while the other, though not sterile,, 

 is far from the period of developement. But as the activity 

 of the separate ovaries at different seasons, will explain the 

 occurrence of young broods at various seasons of the year, so 

 it is probable that the occasional activity of these separate 

 organs of an hermophrodite may lead to the male orgasm at 

 one period, and to the female at another. Our common Com- 

 ber also (Serranus Cabrilla, Yarrell's Br. F., vol. 1,) has 

 been judged capable of independent propagation, from the 

 occurrence of a small portion of a soft substance resembling 

 melt, near the duct of the much larger roe or ovary. In 

 this fish the funnel shaped organ through which the grains 

 pass, is on ordinary occasions turned into the body ; but on 

 pressure, which perhaps the fish effects against some solid 

 body, it becomes everted, and the ova are guided by it into a 

 favourable situation. 



The Perch is described as pressing a pointed stick or stone 

 into contact with a pea, and by the motion of its own body 

 drawing them over the selected spot. Other fishes are said 

 to require the lateral pressure of a couple of males in the 

 process of parturition, and in some the melt is diffused over 

 the pea after it has been shed in the proper situation, the dilu- 

 tion of water offering no hindrance ; for it has been found on 

 trial, that the prolific fluid is not rendered less efficacious, but 

 even more so, by being largely mixed with Water; and that it 

 is not less so even when the parent has been dead for a day 

 or two : a circumstance worthy of notice to those who may 

 wish to stock their ponds with fish. 



The pea produced in exposed situations must suffer great 

 diminution from the voracity of the numerous tribes that as- 

 semble at the expected season, to devour it ; but this destruc- 

 tion bears only a limited proportion to that of the fish in the 

 early stages of their growth, at which period they are preyed 

 on abundantly by almost every other individual of larger 

 growth, including those of their own kind. 



The interval between the shedding of the pea and the es- 

 cape of the young, has been ascertained only in a few species, 

 and is probably subject to diversity according to the tem- 

 perature and situation. Bloch observed the Perch to quit 

 the egg in from six to eight days, and we have already noted 

 that in some instances of the Salmon, the interval has been so 

 great as 130 days ; but the subsequent growth of few fishes is 

 equal to that of the Salmon tribe, of which the chief, the Sal- 

 mon itself, having reached the lenght of about three inches in 

 April, has been known to acquire the weight of four pounds 

 in June, six in August and thirteen in September. (Jesse's 



