SEA-FISHEEIES LABOftATOBY. 123 



certainly, consciously or unconsciously, by his manipula- 

 tion of the statistics, conveys to the reader an impression 

 entirely adverse to sea-fish hatching. And this impression 

 is, I believe, derived mainly from statements in regard to 

 the difficulty and not in regard to the efficacy of the 

 operations. 



Mr. Fryer's remarks are largely directed towards 

 removing impressions that may prevail as to the sim- 

 plicity of artificial hatching ; and here we, in common 

 with all who have taken any part in such work, readily 

 concur in the general conclusion that the work is suffi- 

 ciently difficult and troublesome, if pains be taken to 

 attain success. I do not think that amongst those in this 

 country who have had to obtain in mid-winter or early 

 spring the spawning fish or the fertilized spawn, who have 

 had to filter the sea-water and watch day and night 

 its purity, salinity and temperature, who have jealously 

 guarded the embryos from danger and have tried to obtain 

 suitable foods for the larvae, there can ever have been any 

 fond delusions as to the simplicity of the business. The 

 work is hard, there are many difficulties, the operation is 

 a delicate one, requiring constant and intelligent attention; 

 but all that need not deter. Given suitable conditions and 

 the right men, and the work can be successfully carried out. 



While agreeing with Mr. Fryer that "simplicity" is a 

 delusion, I must demur against an impression which his 

 pages are liable to convey. It must be remembered that 

 the harrowing descriptions on pp. 36 and 37 of fish perish- 

 ing in the nets owing to the heavy storms, and freezing in 

 the boats and on the cars, and of embryos killed by the 

 million in the hatching boxes on account of the intense 

 cold, refer to conditions on the coast of North America, 

 aud do not apply to our seas. These exceptional difficulties 

 either do not exist or are only present in quite a minor 



