80 FISH HATCHING. 



swans, of course there is none Latched to 

 replace the fish that are caught. — Francis 

 Feancis." 



Besides the above, I have letters innumer- 

 able on the same point, all agreeing that the 

 s^Yans should be considerably thinned. 

 ■ The Hon. Spencer Ponsonby tells me that 

 the swans, in consequence of these and other 

 representations, were diminished in quantity, 

 but they sadly w^ant looking after again. 

 Never did I feel so much pleased as v/hen, 

 in the autumn of last year, I saw a boat-load 

 of these feathered poachers floating down 

 the river, each one in a basket all to 

 himself, the result of a swan-hopping ex- 

 pedition.*^^' The swans belong, I beheve, 



* A great many of these swans were sent to Australia, and I 

 hope they may be soon joined by their relatives. 



