THE OVA OF THE SALMONID^l. 5 



of the salmon and trout, I have in spring found mature transparent ova detached 

 from their ovaries, so included, when the aperture for the passage of the ova was 

 closed, or almost so ; but they were totally destitute of any appearance of vital 

 development. 



In conclusion, granting the observations referred to — of the hatching of the 

 ova of the trout in the manner described, viz., without milt, so far as was known, 

 being brought into contact with the expressed ova — to be accurate in their detail, 

 it may be asked, Does the result, as stated, warrant the inference that impreg- 

 nation was effected before the expulsion of the ova ? The box, we are informed, 

 containing them was placed in a stream. What is more likely than that they 

 might have been impregnated, so included but not insulated, by the spermatic- 

 granules, the spermatozoa of milt shed by some fish in the adjoining water? The 

 diffusibility of these living granules — not the least remarkable of their quali- 

 ties — seems to be favourable to this conclusion. 



Lesketh How, Ambleside, 

 January 4, 1854. 



VOL. XXI. PART I. 



