CHAPTER IX 



TROUT. THE FRIENDS AND ENEMIES 

 OF THE FISH CULTURIST 



r I ^HE creatures which are sometimes found in 

 -* and around rearing ponds containing ova 

 or young fish are very numerous, and it is ad- 

 visable that the fish culturist should have some 

 knowledge of them. It is for this reason, that 

 while I cautioned my readers against the crea- 

 tures which are dangerous, and enumerated some 

 of those most serviceable as food, I left detailed 

 descriptions of these enemies and friends of the 

 little fish, in order that I might deal with them 

 in a separate chapter. 



Among the worst enemies of both ova and fry 

 is the Dytiscus marginalis, whether this insect be 

 in the larval or adult stage. I think that I 

 should hardly be wrong in going even further 

 and saying that D. marginalis is very dangerous 

 to trout early in their yearling stage. The ac- 

 companying illustration shows a larva of Dytis- 



58 



