How to obtain it. 143 



an otter on a little patch of yielding sand amid the stones ; he was 

 not discreet enough in his work, and has left a tell-tale behind him 

 that reveals the secret of his presence. We round the corner of a 

 mighty rock and push up-stream, soon coming to a waterfall. 

 Surely no fish can pass this obstacle ! Yes, they do, though ; for 

 when the flood comes down and threatens to sweep everything 

 before it, the fish go up and reach their nesting ground far up the 

 valley. They may have already reached it, and we may be too 

 late. Passing along the rocky bed at length we reach a pool, and 

 peering cautiously we see yes ! there they go one two three 

 fine trout, right off a gravel bed, down into the deep recess amongst 

 the rocks. Put in the net ; now close it round and set it properly, 

 then with a willow sapling gently move the fish. There ! two are 

 in the net ; now lift ; we have them beauties each a pound, and 

 females too. Well done ! we'll try again. But, no ; the other has 

 " holed " and will not move ; so leaving him we wander on. Soon 

 we sight another, and at the first alarm under the bank he goes. 

 We set the net and drive him out, but in he goes again, under a 

 shelving rock this time. Again we try to poke him out, but it is 

 of no use ; and after several fruitless efforts we go on and try 

 three other pools, but do not get any fish from them. 



But look ! what is that ? A fish ? No ; a bird, emerging from 

 the water, which scatters from its feathers as it flies, and swiftly 

 disappears round a bend. We cautiously creep on and see him 

 sitting on a stone, a little beauty, with a throat white as the driven 

 snow. His tail perked jauntily, he faces us he turns he dips 

 his body. Is he curtseying ? No, not exactly ; it's only his way. 

 But there, he's in again, taking the plunge right merrily. How 

 long he stays beneath ! Yes, he's at home beneath the water and 

 keeps us waiting in suspense. At last he re-appears with something 

 in his mouth. What is it ? shout ! he's off and dropped it, and we 

 run to pick it up. It is, we find, not a trout egg, but a water 

 insect -a deadly enemy to the ova of Salinonidcz ; and that is the 

 work of Cinclus in October and November. He is one of Nature's 

 workers, and he does his duty, saving many lives by taking others ; 

 and if he takes a fish in spring to feed his callow brood, perhaps 

 he makes amends by keeping down their enemies at other times. 



But to our work. We try another pool and get a fish, and 



