60 FEBRUARY 



succumbed long ago to adverse influences, and have 

 ceased to exist. Even now, when but few places 

 remain unfrozen in the river, gloomy gluttonous 

 cormorants ply their nefarious trade among the 

 young fish. One morning lately, two of our men 

 were sent to break the ice on the pond connected 

 with the hatchery, where the yearling parr are 

 kept, till the silver spreading over their jackets 

 shows that the time has come for their release on 

 their seaward journey. Hardly had the men turned 

 their backs, when a cormorant flew to the place, like 

 a great winged bootjack, and began poaching. Not 

 this one, but its fellow, paid the penalty of death, 

 and in falling disgorged a trout of nearly a pound 

 in weight. 



Later on, when the smolts, or young salmon, 

 begin to descend, a sight may be witnessed which 

 might suggest misgivings to the advocates of indis- 

 criminate protection of all wild birds. Seagulls of 

 various kinds assemble on the shallow fords, and 

 swallow thousands of young fish, each of which, 

 were it spared, would return some day as a spank- 

 ing twenty pounder. It goes to my heart, too, to 

 bear witness against goosanders and mergansers, 

 those birds of dainty plumage and aristocratic 



