70 THE TROUT 



haunts. He will require also to allow for the ' head- 

 ing back ' by mills and eventual flow of the pent-up 

 water. 



Much attention must be given to the condition of 

 the banks, and to the silting up of the deeper channels 

 of the river, if it be a small one, and therefore easily 

 dealt with. 



These and many other matters provide full em- 

 ployment for an energetic river-keeper all the year 

 round, and in his case constant vigilance is as neces- 

 sary as it is in that of a keeper whose business is 

 amongst the woods and fields. 



Where the river is of considerable size, such as 

 the Test or the Itchen, the fishing keeper's task is a 

 somewhat easier one than on a stream of the calibre 

 of the Lathkill or the Lea ; as the more vigorous flow 

 and stronger volume of water in the former rivers take 

 to a certain degree the management out of his hands, 

 and he can only deal with those portions of the stream 

 which are accessible to him. 



Touching the question of poaching in connection 

 with the subject of a river-keeper's duties, there ought 

 not to be in England at any rateany serious diffi- 

 culty in defeating the nefarious designs of those who 

 wish to interfere illegally with trout fishing. 



Putting on one side any idea of a river being 



