602 IMPREGNATION OF EGGS IN TROUT BREEDING. 
having a gravelly bottom and being in comparatively swift 
water. But as these conditions are necessary only to the 
hatching of the eggs they need not be dwelt upon here. 
The females spawn but once in a season ; the males, on the 
other hand, milt several times. So that there is always an 
excess of males. The females do not choose their partners. 
As soon as the female begins to make her nest some one of 
the males around swims to her side. If a stouter or pluck- 
ier male chances to come that way, a battle royal ensues, and 
the victor takes the place of the vanquished. This operation 
is often repeated, and it seems to make little difference to the 
female which one lies by her side. It is to be noted that by 
this order of nature, the healthiest and strongest trout pair 
together. When the female is ready to emit her eggs the 
male glides to her side, and his milt is emitted simultane- 
ously with, and over her eggs. The male swims off, the fe- 
male covers the eggs with’ gravel, and the operation is 
complete. This description of the action of spawning is 
very incomplete; but is sufficient for our present purpose, 
which is to compare with it the methods in use among trout 
breeders, 
Stripping the Fish. This was the earliest method and is 
still in more extensive use than any other. At certain times 
the ripe males and females are taken from the races. By a 
very slight pressure of the hand, the milt is forced from a 
male into a pan partly filled with water; by a similar pres- 
sure the eggs of a female are forced as quickly as possible 
into the pan, and the operation is continued in the same 
order until all the fish are handled; the water being gently 
agitated from time to time with the hand or the tail of a fish. 
The eggs are then supposed to be impregnated and after 
standing some twenty or ‘twenty-five minutes, are placed in 
the hatehing troughs. This plan has its advantages; among 
which, the first and foremost is that more eggs can be im- 
pregnated in this way than in any other. If the eggs of a 
trout be taken from their bed in the natural stream and ex- 
