WAYS OF FRESH- WATER FISHES. 157 



There he lies ; he has not moved one inch from the 

 spot where we first noted him ; but, as we look, there 

 is a stir in the rushes, and now a moor-hen appears, 

 followed by her dark-looking fluffy chicks. She is 

 making her way to the bit of open water that is free 

 from weeds. Out of one corner of that very spot the 

 broad snout has been poked so long. She looks all 

 round very cautiously, but neither sees nor hears any- 

 thing to alarm her. Off the weeds she slips into the 

 water, her chicks following closely, making a pretty 

 sight as they cluster about their mother, like so many 

 dark corks afloat. 



The ugly snout has vanished ; but with a rush that 

 causes the water to boil up and stirs the rushes all 

 round, its owner makes for his prey, taking in three of 

 the fluffy little creatures at one snap — for, as a rule, 

 the pike seizes from below. The old bird herself has 

 a narrow escape ; she barely misses being included 

 in that vicious snap. 



The water-rail is very wary of swimming over any 

 water at this time, for his slim compressed body goes 

 down the pike's gullet as easily as that of a dace or 

 gudgeon. 



Frogs, too, dread and avoid the water now. If you 



