64 NATURAL SPAWNING. 



along. He looks around a little, eats a few of the eggs if 

 he can find any uncovered, and then retires to his work 

 again, where he remains two or three hours with only oc- 

 casional visits to the female before he recovers from the 

 exhaustion which he has undergone. The female does 

 not seem to rest, she continues covering the eggs and does 

 not then leave the place. The reason for this is that she 

 has not yet emitted all her eggs, for Trout occupy some 

 time in their spawning, laying their eggs at intervals, as 

 they become ripe. Observers differ as to the length of 

 time occupied in spawning. My own opinion is that the 

 time is not usually more than three days, although some- 

 times extending to six days, the female covering the eggs 

 as she emits them. When it is understood that some of 

 the eggs do not sink into the nest, but are carried off by 

 the current, and that only a few ot every batch escape the 

 jaws of their parents, and of the many Trout swimming 

 around the spawning place, one may begin to perceive the 

 advantage of artificial methods. To make the matter still 

 worse ; after the nest is finished, the parents gone, and the 

 eggs nicely hatching, another pair come along intent on 

 similar business. The female sees the place where the first 

 has laid her eggs, and, fancying it a good place for her 

 own nest, begins to make one there. As soon as the eggs 

 are uncovered, leaving all other business, the pair eat up 

 all they can find, and then proceed to lay their own eggs, 

 only, perhaps, to be served in the same way by another 

 pair. When it is considered, also, that all kinds of water- 

 fowl are fond of these eggs and diligently search after them, 

 and that in the spring time the young fry furnish a large 

 proportion of food for the older ones, the wonder seems to 

 be, not that there are so few Trout in our streams, but that 

 there are any left. Another cause of the rapid diminution 

 of Trout in settled countries, is the tame ducks which are 

 allowed on the stream. They wander at will peacefully 



