In the case of some of the smaller fishes when they are only
three days old young fishes are generated. Eggs touched by the male
sperm take on increase both the same day and also later. The egg of
the sheat-fish is as big as a vetch-seed; the egg of the carp and of
the carp-species as big as a millet-seed.
These fishes then spawn and generate in the way here
described. The chalcis, however, spawns in deep water in dense
shoals of fish; and the so-called tilon spawns near to beaches in
sheltered spots in shoals likewise. The carp, the baleros, and
fishes in general push eagerly into the shallows for the purpose of
spawning, and very often thirteen or fourteen males are seen following
a single female. When the female deposits her spawn and departs, the
males follow on and shed the milt. The greater portion of the spawn
gets wasted; because, owing to the fact that the female moves about
while spawning, the spawn scatters, or so much of it as is caught in
the stream and does not get entangled with some rubbish. For, with the
exception of the sheatfish, no fish keeps on guard; unless, by the
way, it be the carp, which is said to remain on guard, if it so happen
that its spawn lies in a solid mass.
Pages:
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336