nce in weight, is yet capable of propagation, and the one of
a pound. Not having one of the larger kind to refer to, I am
unable to point out any specific difference of form. (May 2nd,
1832.)

* * * * *

ON THE SPAWNING OF THE MINNOW.

As I had been so fortunate in observing the Lampreys, I felt
desirous of ascertaining whether the same thing could be seen in
other fish (as in Natural History it is not always safe to reason
from analogy), and as there was a large shoal of Minnows spawning
near the place where I had seen the Lampreys, I determined to
watch their motions. They happened to have chosen a very
convenient place for being observed, being between two large
stones in the river, which lay about three feet from each other;
so that by cautiously approaching them from behind one of the
stones, I got close to without disturbing them, but after watching
them carefully and repeatedly within the distance of two feet, I
can only speak doubtfully of their operations, for they were so
numerous, and their motions were so incessant; and when a female
was about to shed her spawn, the males (which were ten times more
numerous than the females) crowded round her in such a manner as
to render it very difficult, if not impossible, to speak with
certainty on the subject. I will state what steps I took to
satisfy myself, and perhaps the history of my failure may be of
use to future observers.

It occurred to me from what I observed, that it was probable the
males had the power of absorbing the eggs after their exclusion by
the female, and impregnating them within their own bodies; and I
caught a dozen males at different times, when they were attending
on females, and opened them, but I could discover nothing like an
egg. I then caught a female, and scattered the spawn (which was
expelled by the slightest pressure) in a place frequented by a
number of males, but they took no notice of it whatever. I after
this caught a female when she was surrounded by a number of males,
and apparently in the act of shedding her spawn, and examined
whether the spawn which I pressed from her body was impregnated;
but it appeared perfectly homogeneous, and so delicate in its
texture that it burst with the slightest touch, whilst in that
which I picked up from among the gravel where it was scattered
abundantly, the impregnation was visible with the assistance of a
microscope, and it was so much tougher in its covering as to bear
rolling about i