156 AN ANGLER'S SEASON 



infliction of unjust injury on some other ? 

 Nature is bafflingly intractable. Who 

 could have foreseen that kindness to 

 the birds, kindness which apparently 

 amounted to no more than fair-play, 

 would lead to gross cruelty to the Mayfly 

 and to the trout ? That is what has 

 happened. If each of us "ate like a 

 bird," each of us would consume at least 

 a quartern loaf, two legs of mutton, 

 and a sirloin of beef every day. Think, 

 then, of what has befallen the Mayflies 

 in consequence of our highly successful 

 legislation in behalf of the birds. Count- 

 less thousands are gobbled before their 

 eggs are laid, before the trout have time 

 to take a reasonable toll, before the 

 pretty insects themselves have had an 

 hour's experience of life in its complete- 

 ness. Think, also, that one of the more 

 exacting birds is none other than the 

 kingfisher, now greatly multiplied, and 

 realise how heartrendingly insoluble are 

 the difficulties with which the statecraft 

 of the streamside has to deal. As in 



