SALMON IN A DITCH. 161 



" would weigh down four of the fish now in 

 the boxes/' We have, however, a ditch at 

 Hampton, about two feet deep, which con- 

 ducts the water from the hatching boxes into 

 the river. About ten yards of this is shut in 

 by perforated zinc, and several of the fish 

 have dropt down into the nursery from the 

 boxes above. They seem to be doing very 

 well, and are useful for observation's sake ; 

 but of course they require feeding, in addition 

 to what minute food they get in the ditch. 



My advice, therefore, to experimenters, as 

 regards the Thames and other southern 

 waters, is to turn out with a gentle hand the 

 young fish on to quiet and undisturbed shal- 

 lows in the main river ; or else into an ever- 

 flowing (not stagnant), broad, weed-contain- 

 ing pond or ditch, whence the young fry can 



