50 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



inches depth of water. In this confined spot she 

 remained up to Saturday the 12th of last month, 

 when death put a period to her existence. This 

 fish has been the means of great attraction since 

 the time she was mentioned in the newspapers, 

 which was about five years ago, many persons 

 having come a great distance to see her ; and those 

 who have witnessed her actions (of whom there are 

 many in the city of Exeter) can bear testimony to 

 the truth of the following statement : — " She would 

 come to the top of the water and take meat off a 

 plate, and would devour a quarter of a pound of 

 lean meat in less time than a man could eat it ; she 

 would also allow Mr. Dormer to take her out of 

 the water, and, when put into it again, she would 

 immediately take meat from his hands, or would 

 even bite the finger if presented to her. Some 

 time since a little girl teased her, by presenting the 

 finger and then withdrawing it, till at last she 

 leaped a considerable height above the water, and 

 caught her by the said finger, which made it bleed 

 profusely : by this leap she threw herself completely 

 out of the water into the court. At one time a 

 young duckling got into the well to solace himself 

 in his favourite element, when she immediately 

 seized him by the leg, and took him under water ; 

 but the timely interference of Mr. Dormer pre- 

 vented any further mischief than making a cripple 

 of the young duck. At another time a full-grown 

 drake approached the well, and put in his head to 

 take a draught of the water, when Mrs. Fish, seeing 

 a trespasser on her premises, immediately seized 

 the intruder by the bill, and a desperate struggle 



