78 FISH HATCHING. 



being more destructive to the spawn of fish 

 on the Thames than has yet been mentioned. 

 I was fishing from a coracle moored at the 

 mouth of the river that debouches into the 

 Thames by Egham Weir, when a swan came 

 up the river, crowding all sail, in great wrath, 

 to drive me out of his dominions. He came 

 on until he was within the length of my rod, 

 which I dropped to lay hold of the paddle, 

 as he seemed bent on capsizing my craft 

 with his wing. Suddenly, however, he turned 

 an eye on the water, and, poking his head 

 and neck down, he rushed several yards, 

 bringing up a bleak of the largest size in his 

 mouth, which he turned and swallowed, head 

 first, as quick as a heron could do. Thus his 

 wrath was appeased ; but I heartily wished 

 for an air-cane gun, when I certainly would 



