264 How to obtain it. 



their positions and look well after themselves. A few undoubtedly 

 get eaten, but not many. But in a small pond which is crowded 

 with fish that are well fed at least twice daily, it will be apparent 

 that one or two large trout will reduce the numbers of the rest. 

 The big fellows, under such circumstances, will become regular 

 bullies, and will, to an extent, prey upon the smaller ones, which 

 are very much at their mercy, as they have no stones to dodge 

 behind or hiding places to get into. It is surprising, though, how 

 the yearling fish, even under such circumstances, will avoid being 

 caught. 



Should a large trout by any means get into a pond full of 



v / yearlings, he must at once be taken out, and usually there is no 



difficulty in doing this. A rod and line is the remedy, and for a 



lure something that is too big for the yearlings. By skilful hands 



the big fish will soon be hooked and landed without injury. 



Now to return to the fish in the tub. They must not be left 

 there a moment longer than can be avoided. They have to be 

 sorted, and there will be four kinds or classes, therefore four tubs 

 or other vessels will be required in which to place them. They 

 may be classified thus : 



I. Males. 



II. Spawing females. 



illl. Non-spawning females. 

 IV. Small fish. 



The males are now readily distinguished, and should be 

 separated from the females, and put into a pond by themselves. 



The spawning females should be placed in another pond, 

 ready to be overhauled again when ripe. 



The non-spawning females may be placed in a tank pro tern., 

 and then put back into the pond from whence they came as soon 

 as it is again filled, unless it is desired to stock it with other fish. 

 In any case, a pond should be in readiness to receive them, and 

 the spawning females may be put into the same one later on, 

 when the eggs have been taken from them. 



The small fish are those which for some reason have not 

 grown like the others, and are now very much less in size. There 

 will often be a few of these, and the best way of dealing with them 

 is to turn them out into some stream or lake, unless there happens 



