The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-13
TROUT GOBBLED UP YOUNG
DUCKS.

Durango Fish Hatcheries Pets Taken
Down Whole by Rainbow Trout.
In one of the cool clear pools of the
Durango fish hatchery swim some
great trout of such remarkable voracity
that young ducks have been seen to
disappear down their capacious jaws.
Game and Fish Warden Holland who
recently returned from trip of inspec-
ton there says the greediness of the
big fish has caused keen dsappoint-
ment among the hatchery employees.
The sequestered ponds of the noun
tain hatchery attract the ducks which
are wont TO settle down on the limpid
sheets of water. 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
well hidden nests. The hatchery men,
whose eyes are trained by the study of
fish eggs and little fish to notice things
minute, soon discovered the presence of
the duck eggs and began a quiet watch
for the Matching.
One day recently two eggs shells
were found broken in nest and at the
edge of the water sat two downy duck
lings near the mother duck. Quietly
the delighted discoveries approached
nearer for better view. A bunch Of
reeds softly waving in the faint breeze
shielded them in their effort for a few
moments but an unlucky footstep into
the shallow water caused an alarming
splash. With quick whir Of her
wings up rose the mother before the
eyes Of the startled men and slowly set
ting near by, she invited all danger to
herself. But the hatchery men were
not hunters and were not looking for
her.
Hastily they stepped forward, ankle
deep in water, and beheld huddled to-
gether close to the reeds the apprehen-
sive ducklings, Wondering how vel!
they could swim after half a days ex-
istence, one of the visitors splashed the
water sharply with his foot Away
from the protecting shore sped the two
tiny ducks over the transparent water.
Their webbed feet soon carried them a
dozen yards from the big two-footed in
truders.
Down in the depths of the pool Turk
some huge trout whose keen eyes are
ever watching the surface for grass
hoppers, minnows and food of all
kinds. Rainbows, they are, and as the
ducklings soudded across the top of the
pool the beautiful colored sides of the
trout flashed brilliantly as they rose
in haste from the bottom The first
one dashed so recklessy at the nearest
duckling that he missed his aim and
shot yard out Of water There was a
loud splash as the big fish fell back and
thoroughly scared the soft feathered
birds began to 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
of the tiny fowls. In another moment a
slower but surer fish opened wide
mouth at the right moment and eagerly
swallowed one of the two feathered flu
gitives. The other was caught by two
trout at the same instant and dragged
beneath the surface in the ,twinkling of
an eye.
Down into the crystal depths went
the ducklings, and after an instants
choking all was still. The circles on
top of the pool widened until invisible
and the tragedy was over.
The mother duck, whose eyes had
neved left her young, darted above the
spot where they had disappeared, with
shrill cries and utterly disregarded the
presence of the men, who slowly re-
tracing their footsteps, told new yarn
at the dinner table to the surprise and
regret of the others who had also been
watching for the appearance of the
little ducks.-From the Denver Post.