The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-01
DucIxLIxGs FED THE TROUT.
Fish an n Colorado Hatchery Lived
sumpfuonsiy for while.
From the Denver Post

From the Denver Post
Game and Fish Warden Holland. who
recently returned from a trip OF inspee-
ton. says the greediness OF the big hsh
has caused keen disappointment among
the Durango ash hatchery employees. The
sequestered ponds OF the mountain hatch
cry attroct the. ducks. which are won't To
settle down on the lmpid sheets of wa
ter A few OF them have made their
homes there They are the wood duck
and round the grassy edges Of the pools
have laid their eggs In weil-hidden nests.
The hatchery men. whose eyes are train
ed BY the study OF ash eggs and little
hsh 20 notice things minute. soon discov-
cred the presence OF the duck eggs and
began quiet watch for the Matching
one day recently two egg shells were
found broken in a nest and at the edge
% the water sat two downy duckiinss
near the mother duck. Quietly the de-
lighted discoveries approached nearer for
better view. A bunch OF reeds softly
waving In the soft breeze shielded them
la their effort Tor a few moments. bsit
an unlusky fooFstsp into the shallow wa
ter caused an alarming splash. With
quick whlrr of her wings 40 rose the
mother before the eyes OF the startled
men and slowly settling near by she In
hatchery men were not hunters and were
not looking for her.
Hastily they stepped forward. ankle
deep In water. and beheid. huddied to-
gcfher close 10 the reeds. the apprehen-
sive ducklings. Wondering how well they
could swim after half q day's existence.
one OF the visitors splashed the water
sharply with hla foot Away from thu
protecting shore sped the swo tiny ducks
over the transparent water. Their web
bed feet soon carried them q dozen yards
from the big ftwo-footed intrudera.
Down IN the depth Of the pool lurk some
huge trout. whose keen eyes are ever
watching the surface for grasshoppers,
nsinnows and food OF an kinds. Rainbows.
they are. and as the duckliugs scudded
across the top 81 the pool the beautifully
eoiored sides OF the trout flashed Brilliant
~ ~ they rose IN haste from the bottom.
The arst one dashed 80 recklosaly ~ che
nearest duckling that he missed his aim
and shot a yard out Of the water. There
was a loud splash a. the bsg fsh fell back
ana thoroughly scared. soft-feathered
birds began 20 paddle desperately for
the shore. But fate was against them.
and they were not permitted TO swim six
feet.
Too late the men realized the danger
% the tiny fowls. In another moment a
slower bus surer fish opened a wide mouth
AZ the right moment and eagerly swallow
"a one OF the two feaihered fugitives. The
other was caught b. two trout "a the sasna
instant and dragged beneath the surface
ia the twinlSiinR OF an eye.
Down into the crystal depths went tbs
duckIing and after an instant's choking all
was sslil The circles On the top Of ths
pool wldered until invisible and the trag-
edy was over.
The mot her. duck. whose eyes had never
left her young. darted above the SPOT
where they had disappeared, with shrlii
cries. and utterly disregarded the presence
81 the men. who, slowly retracing their
footsteps. told a new yarn o. the dinner
table 20 the surprise ana regret of the
others. who had also been watching for
the appearance Of the little ducks.