into more or less regular habits,
and showing no fear of whoever it is who feeds them, come up readily and
seize the food boldly, is probably the best time to let them out into
the larger space of the pond. I do not mean to say that when a certain
proportion of the fish have got over their natural shyness, and feed
boldly and without hesitation, the whole of them should be set free.
What I mean is, that when the habit of associating the appearance of a
certain individual with a meal has been well established among them for
a week or so, they should be allowed to escape from the box into the
pond.

This is best done in the same way that the alevins were allowed to
escape from the hatching tray into the box--by lowering the level of the
box so that its upper edges are some two or three inches below the
surface of the water. The food should now be thrown into the pond higher
up, so that the little fish may be induced to swim up and station
themselves as near the inlet as possible. Probably some of the little
fish will not leave the box at all of their own free will. These, of
course, will have to be turned out. The box should not, however, be
lifted out of the water and the fish and water together be poured out,
as this is very likely to cause them severe injury. The box should be
gradually tilted over and lifted out of the water bottom first, so that
the fish are hardly disturbed at all and certainly not injured in any
way.

An important matter to consider before turning the little fish out into
the pond is, how the ponds are to be protected so that their many
enemies may be kept away from the fry. Kingfishers, herons, and other
creatures are very partial to young trout and will cause enormous
destruction if not prevented. Kingfishers have, in my experience, been
the worst offenders. Some years ago I was rearing some trout in a part
of the country where many of the inhabitants bewailed the extermination
of the kingfisher. Before I began rearing trout I agreed with these
people, for a kingfisher flitting along a stream looking like a little
mass of jewels is a pleasing sight, and one which I had never enjoyed in
that particular part of the country.

When the time came to set my little fish free in the rearing ponds, as a
matter of principle I covered the ponds with herring-net, closely pegged
down on the banks so that I could not even get my hand under the edge. I
did not think that there were any kingfishers or herons