APRIL. BRENT GOOSE— POCHARD— RIVER-TROUT. 219 



although raised on the spade several feet from the 

 ground. 



There are few wild birds or other animals which 

 could not be tamed and made useful to us if, in- 

 stead of constantly persecuting them, we treated 

 them with hospitality and allowed them to live in 

 peace and plenty. All wild fowl are susceptible of 

 domestication, and there are very few kinds which 

 would not breed in a tame state. 



Most wild fowl require very little extent of water, 

 as long as they have grass fields to walk about and to 

 feed in. No more water is necessary than is sufficient 

 for them to wash and take an occasional swim in. 



Our brent goose seems to eat scarcely anything 

 but grass, and any snails and worms it may find in 

 the field. He is a far more graceful bird on land 

 than the pochard, for quick and active as the latter 

 is in the water, his great flat feet, placed far behind, 

 are of little service to him in walking. 



The eye of the pochard is of a most wonderfully 

 clear bright-red colour, something between crimson 

 and scarlet, and is quite unlike that of any other 

 water-fowl that I am acquainted with. 



April, if the weather is fine and genial enough to 

 bring out many flies, is about the best month for 

 trout-fishing on the Findhorn. Large river-trout, 

 which are seldom seen at any other time of the 



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