Water Poachers. 173 



has not been satisfactorily ascertained, but by the 

 time it becomes thirty pounds it has increased 

 one hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred 

 times the weight it was at first. 



The only parts of a young salmon or trout 

 which is fully developed immediately it leaves 

 the egg are its eyes. These are golden with a 

 silver sheen, and beautifully bright the great 

 aids in steering clear of an almost innumerable 

 set of enemies which this new stage of existence 

 brings. And it is really difficult to say whether 

 these game fishes have more enemies when in the 

 egg or after they are hatched. Of some of the 

 former we have already spoken, and now let us 

 look to the latter. 



The heron is a great trout-stream poacher, and 

 destroys quantities of immature fish. This has 

 long been known, but the fact received striking 

 confirmation from an incident which occurred at 

 the rearing-ponds at Stormontfield. Here a 

 heron was shot as it left off fishing, when it 

 immediately disgorged fifty fry. In the trout 

 stream the heron stands looking more like a lump 

 of drift-stuff caught in the bushes than an 

 animate object. Gaunt, consumptive, and sentinel- 

 like, the bird watches with crest depressed, 

 standing upon one leg. At other times it wades 

 cautiously with lowered head and outstretched 

 neck, each step being taken by a foot drawn 



