22 



to fill a two bushel basket. The operation of emitting 

 the eggs is not all done at one time or on one day, it 

 occupies several days, as will be more fully explained 

 hereafter. As soon as the nest is completed, and the 

 father and mother are exhausted of spawn and milt, they 

 drop back worn out and weakly to the deeper water or 

 the ocean, to recuperate. The eggs are left to themselves 

 unprotected, except lor their gravelly covering, and a 

 prey to every passing spoiler.. They were intended to 

 be mainly destroyed, and that intention is effectually 

 carried out. 



A similar over -supply or wastefulness of nature is 

 visible in all its departments. Seeds of plants and trees 

 are produced by millions to perish by millions, leaving 

 only a few to fructify. Of these few even, but a small 

 per centage lives and reaches maturity. Who has not 

 noticed the innumerable seeds falling from the trees in 

 early autumn, has not seen them driven about by the 

 wind, swept into rows one on the other, carried into the 

 water, crowded into holes and covered up by leaves. 

 Next year out of the countless multitudes, some hundreds 

 start into life, but they are by the way side or on stony 

 ground, or amid weeds, or under the shade of stronger 

 plants. The sun burns some, the shade kills others, the 

 ground starves still more, the ranker growth destroys its 

 share, and so they perish miserably, the exception being 

 if a single one survives. We can partly guess why this 

 superfluity exists, we can connect it in a measure with 

 man's exactions and neccessities. 



Enemies offish life are numerous. First, and most to 

 be dreaded in waters where they exist, are the eels. 

 These are most difficult to exclude from the troughs and 

 ponds. They devour eggs or young with equal voracity. 

 Seven young trout have been taken from an eel six inch- 



