THE SPRING RUNNING 11 



cold brain trying to follow and keep up with each 

 swift, warm heart? For the homeward-bound heart 

 knows no barrier; it never stops for a dam. 



The herring, too, on their way up the run are 

 stopped by a dam; but the town, in granting to cer- 

 tain men the sole rights to catch the fish, stipulated 

 that a number of the live herring, as many .as several 

 barrels full, should be helped over the dam each 

 spring that they might go on up to the pond to de- 

 posit their eggs. If this were not done annually, the 

 fish would soon cease to come, and the Weymouth 

 herring would be no more. 



There was no such lift for the catfish under Lup- 

 ton's dam. I often tossed them over into the pond, 

 and so helped to continue the line; but perhaps there 

 was no need, for spring after spring they returned. 

 They were the young fish, I suppose, new each year, 

 from parent fish that remain inside the pond the year 

 round. 



I cannot say now I never asked myself before 

 whether it is Mother or Father Catfish who stays with 

 the swarm (it is literally a swarm) of kitten catfish. 

 It may be father, as in the case of Father Stickleback 

 and Father Toadfish, who cares for the children. If 

 it is I take off my hat to him. I have four of 

 my own ; and I think if I had eighteen or twenty 

 more I should have both hands full. But Father Cat- 

 fish ! Did you ever see his brood ? 



I should say that there might easily be five hun- 



