126 OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



eighty-five kingfishers. The few trout fry that 

 the kingfisher may possibly eat would never be 

 missed, for Nature in her bounty has taken care 

 to provide abundance for other fish, for birds, 

 for otters even, and for man, the most selfish too 

 often of all the animal race. Those who know 

 that beautiful little trout-stream, the Dome, which, 

 rising near Little Tew, meanders on to Blenheim 

 Lake and the Evenlode, know a stream which, 

 for its size, can never be surpassed as a trout- 

 stream, yet you may often see the heron on its 

 banks, and note the jewelled form of the king- 

 fisher flash by you. The stream is stocked with 

 fish such as perch, and even has pike in its 

 waters, while crayfish, a supposed deadly enemy 

 to spawn, are found there in abundance, yet there 

 is no finer trout-stream anywhere in the Midlands. 

 If our words can reach the kingfisher's enemy, 

 we would implore him to spare this beautiful 

 bird, which feeds principally on sticklebacks and 

 minnows. He will not catch one trout the less, 

 and his sport will surely be the sweeter when he 

 knows it has not been associated with the destruc- 

 tion of one of the most lovely of the Creator's 

 works.' 



There are times when the feeling of righteous 

 wrath is too strong to find expression in words. 

 I therefore forbear to comment on the above, 

 further than to add that previous to its appearance 

 in print I had been informed of the facts of the 

 case, and have but too sufficient reason to believe 



