180 MELTON AND HOMESPUN 



close season, but also a number of other birds, including 

 the smew and cormorant, all of which are even more 

 destructive to fish than the former species." 



But let us take the kingfisher as the least harmful of 

 the before-mentioned feathered marauders, and ask any 

 field-naturalist who has made a close study of both the 

 halcyon and the otter which of the twain is the greater 

 enemy to the angler. I think that the verdict will be 

 " the kingfisher." One has but to examine the nest 

 of a kingfisher to realise the enormous amount of damage 

 these gaily plumaged denizens of our rivers, lakes, and 

 brooks wreak amongst the fry of trout and other kinds 

 of fish. The nest, which takes the form of a burrow 

 or tunnel in the bank of a river or pond, well beyond the 

 reach of the longest human arm, is roughly constructed, 

 apparently from the bones and scales of very small fish, 

 deposited by the parent birds in the shape of disgorged 

 pellets. This malodorous mass of nastiness is of con- 

 siderable size, and must represent an enormous number 

 of baby fish — a far greater number, indeed, than any 

 two otters would destroy within twelve months. 



" Yes, that is all very well, but the kingfisher only 

 kills very small fish, while the otter takes toll of the 

 big 'uns," we fancy we hear some of the readers remark 

 upon perusing the above. 



True, but in the ordinary course of nature little fish 

 grow into big fish. Let it not for one moment be thought 

 that in writing thus we wish to " play off " the halcyon 

 against the otter, for such is not the case. But we do not 

 think it just or reasonable that inveterate war by gun 

 and trap should be waged against the otter, while the 

 kingfisher and other predaceous birds, far more destructive 



