Water Poachers. 175 



weeds and wet grass we watched it feed. After 

 a prolonged struggle with some object in the 

 water it rose. Just as it did so we fired, and 

 running up to the winged bird were in time to 

 see a live vole which it had disgorged. As an 

 example of " the biter bit," it is related that a 

 heron was seen one evening going to a piece of 

 water to feed ; the spot was visited the next 

 morning, when it was discovered that the bird 

 had stuck its beak through the head of an eel, 

 piercing both eyes ; the eel thus held had coiled 

 itself so tightly round the neck of the heron as 

 to stop the bird's respiration, and both were 

 dead. Upon another occasion a heron is said to 

 have swallowed a stoat, but in this case also the 

 prey was promptly disgorged. An authoritative 

 statement has been made to the effect that the 

 heron's services in the destruction of pike, coarse 

 fish, rats, and water-beetles may fairly be set off 

 against its depredations in trout-streams. But 

 to this we must dissent ; and if a trout stream 

 and a heronry are to flourish in the same 

 neighbourhood, the former must be covered in 

 with netting, especially during the spawning 

 season. 



Another bird which is an enemy to both 

 salmon and trout in their fry stage is the black- 

 headed gull. This bird with its laughing cry 

 hovers over the stream and never lets slip an 



