CHAPTER XVIII 

 NATURE BY THE WATERSIDE 



FRIENDS AND ENEMIES OF FISHERIES 



MODERN fish culture has brought about a revolu- 

 tion in relation to the fish-producing capacity of our 

 lakes and rivers. Given water, and not specially un- 

 favourable conditions, sporting fishes can be had in 

 plenty. But whilst the raising of a stock is easy, 

 it is by no means easy always to conserve it. In 

 addition to man, there are always agencies at work 

 that tend to diminution. If this applies to fish in 

 the mature stage, it applies with a hundred-fold 

 more weight to the same when immature. The 

 enemies of fish are in the air, in the water, on the 

 land ; and it is only when these are enumerated 

 that we are able to form any adequate idea of their 

 number and methods of destruction. 



Quite an army of enemies prey upon the ova 



immediately they are spawned. An ill-timed flood 



At will destroy millions, tearing them from the 



Spawn- gravel and laying them bare to a host of 



mg enemies. Mature, unfertile fish, haunt the 

 skirts of the spawning grounds, and for a consider- 

 able time live almost entirely upon spawn; and 



