The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-10-14
Artificial Trout Culture,

In the United States much attention
is being paid to trout culture, and many
private ponds have been or are now be-
ing built. Au exchange gives some in
teresting stories of trout raising. 1t
says; During spawning season trout
find the sandy and gravely bottom, the
conditions most favorable to their pur-
pose. Digging with their noses pits in
the sand six or seven inches deep, and
three or four feet in diameter, the trout
places in the center of these excavations
line of stones of various sizes, accord
ing to the size of the fish. In this work
number of trout cooperate, and, when
the bed is thus prepared, the eggs are
deposited by the females in successive
lines, and after impregnation the whole
mass is covered up by the parents, the
noses, fins, and tails being freely used in
the operation. While this work is pro-
crossing there are generally number of
small, feathered spectators, called water
ousels. in the vicinity, deeply interested
in the operation. These visit the beds
when the fish leave, and, disappearing
beneath the surface, pick up such in
sects as would otherwise feed upon the
ova.
In the course of month the eggs are
Matched, and these eggs are wonderful
things in their way. Semi-transparent,
and varying in size from the head of
large pin to the dimensions of a large
elastic shell, so that, if struck against
any hard substance, they will rebound
threrefrom with the elasticity of a minia-
ture ball of India rubber. Subject to
the action of the water, and to abrasion
among the gravel and sand, these little
eggs are protected by the peculiar
properties of the delicate looking case in
which they are inclosed.
A few days before the imprisoned en-
bryo is ready to emerge from his prison,
two little black specks are observed
within the shell. These are the eyes,
and glance through microscope re-
veals movement of the body and q
wagging of the tail, all of which are
doubtless the preliminary efforts which
are to result in the final deliverance.
When he has at last emerged there is a
little sac attached to his abdomen, and
this constitutes his sole nourishment as
he lies on the bottom, unable, so long as
this appendage remains, to rise to the
surface. The umbilical sac disappears
in four weeks, and then, for the first
time, tho fry employs his means of loco
motion to good purpose. The little
fins and tails are set at work, and carry
him from place to place in quest of ami
malcules and such infnitesimal game.
To enable him to grow apace, he must
have plenty of the right kind of food,
and clear spring water having a tempera-
tllre of from forty to forty-five degrees.
Bullock's livers cut fine and grated, offal,
or the flesh of almost any animal subject
to the same process, will suit his taste.
He is not fastidious, and, when he has
attaineda weight of two or three pounds,
he enjoys such dainty morsels as frog
or "a mouse. He is, in fact, q keen
sighted hunter of mice and other small
deer" and will lie in wait under the
pads of waterlilies OF the shelving banks,
or behind log or stone, as eager after
his prey as Grimalkin himself-ready to
pounce upon the hapless victim the mo-
ment he shall be within reach.