NOTES. 257 



take them from where tney are unprofitably numerous 



and place them where they would be welcomed 



Miles and miles of canals exist where from the growth of 

 weeds navigation has almost ceased, upon which they 

 would prove of important service." 



The Editor of the Field^ commenting upon this letter, 

 remarks : " We can entirely bear out the truth of our 

 correspondent's observations regarding the mischief done 

 by the swans. At this time of the year (that is, May) 

 one pair of swans will probably devour a good load of 

 spawn of perch, jack, roach, and other fish, in less than 

 a month. We once remember seeing the entire year's 

 produce of the river almost from Marlow to Cookham 

 destroyed by swans. A swan can and does easily devour 



the spawn of from tsventy to fifty perch per day 



One swan will, at the very lowest computation, eat 

 200,000 eggs a day, and this is very much under-rated. 

 .... Of what use are all the efforts of the T.A.P.S to 

 improve the river, to introduce new and better fish .... 

 if these nuisances are to be the only reapers of the 

 benefits ? " 



The minutes also state : "The members of the T.A.P.S. 

 are unanimous in agreeing that fish worth thousands a 

 year to the public are directly, or indirectly, annually 

 destroyed on the Thames by the swans." 



These minutes are of no recent date (July 6th, 1861) ; 

 but anglers know, as a positive fact, the destruction of 

 spawn by swans. Not only do the birds destroy spawn, 

 but they also occasion much annoyance to anglers, flock- 

 ing into the swim in the expectation of food ; then one 

 of the older birds frequently appears and there is a 

 general flight, the water being disturbed for perhaps 

 hundreds of yards. I have personally experienced this 

 many times, particularly when trout-fishing in the open 

 water. It seems rather queer law that swans should be 

 allowed to do such great damage during the spawning- 

 season, while any one then taking coarse fish (except for 

 bait) is liable to prosecution. The housing of the barren 

 birds during the close season would be a great boon to 

 anglers, as so much valuable spawn would be saved ; it 

 would also give great satisfaction to those who are en- 

 gaged in endeavouring to preserve the stock of fish in the 

 river. Ducks are as bad, if not worse than swans, and 



S 



