ENEMIES OF BROOK TROUT 



It is found in large numbers, and in the breeding 

 season forms rookeries which are a serious menace to 

 the fishing waters of the neighborhood. It is extreme- 

 ly shy and cautious, fishing chiefly at night or early 

 in the morning. It stands perfectly motionless in the 

 water until a fish comes within reach, when it strikes 

 with its long, sharp, heavy bill, which deals death to 

 any of the fish kind. 



They have been caught in steel traps set in ponds 

 within twenty feet of a hatchery building. The traps 

 are set in shallow water, taking precaution to secure 

 them so as to prevent the bird flying away with them. 

 When a heron is captured in a trap, he should be killed 

 at once with a long club or a load of shot. Great care 

 should be taken to keep out of the reach of his mur- 

 derous bill. Once I had the misfortune to be struck 

 by a wounded heron, and I am sure that if his bill had 

 struck me squarely on the hand, it would have gone 

 entirely through. As it was, the blow was a glancing 

 one, striking me on the knuckle, but it stripped off the 

 flesh to the very bone. I have sometimes heard a great 

 flopping and disturbance in the waters of our Caledonia 

 trout-brook at night, and upon going to the place in 

 the morning found heron tracks in the mud, and some- 

 times a trout from one-half pound to two pounds in 

 weight, and occasionally larger, with a hole in its back 

 or side, into which you could put your finger. I 

 always supposed the fish escaped on account of its 

 being too strong and lively for the heron, although 



