DISTRIBUTION. 



193 



will gradually come back to its old position and 

 resume its interrupted meal. 



The birds that prey upon the fish give them 

 no chance. The heron, standing poised on one 

 leg in a shallow, will remain motionless for hours, 

 and never stir until it makes the fatal thrust. 

 The kingfisher darts from the bank or a twig 

 and seizes the fry before it has an idea of 

 danger. The swans, ducks (tame as well as 

 wild), the dabchicks and moorhens, feed on 

 the eggs or alevins which are incapable of 

 moving any distance. 



In respect to parts of the river infested by 

 pike, or where heavy toll is levied by poachers, 

 or where herons or kingfishers abound, moving 

 the trout is a senseless course to adopt. The 

 pike must be destroyed by nets, wire, trimmer, 

 or other means ; the poachers must be deterred 

 or punished ; and the bird enemies must be 

 shot or trapped. 



Having now dealt with the chief movements 

 of the trout in a river, the reasons prompting 

 them to make these movements, and the seasons 

 at which they occur, the next point to consider 

 is how and under what conditions it is desirable 

 to counteract their migrations by shifting them 

 from one character of water to another. 



As far as the movements preparatory to 

 spawning are concerned it is not advisable for 



O 



Inadvisability 

 of moving fish 

 during spawn- 

 ing season. 



