. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 1957 95 Vol. 77 Saltmarsh describes as good places to fish for Clarias: ' 'In water below bridges during the summer when large numbers of swallows have built their nests under the bridges overhanging the water. Young swallows, dead or alive, which fall from nests are readily taken by the fish. It has been reported that fish have endeavoured to catch the parent swallows when they skim the water to drink.'' ' 'In water with overhanging trees or reeds upon which birds, mostly finks (weavers), have built their nests. Eggs, young birds and the droppin
. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. 1957 95 Vol. 77 Saltmarsh describes as good places to fish for Clarias: ' 'In water below bridges during the summer when large numbers of swallows have built their nests under the bridges overhanging the water. Young swallows, dead or alive, which fall from nests are readily taken by the fish. It has been reported that fish have endeavoured to catch the parent swallows when they skim the water to drink.'' ' 'In water with overhanging trees or reeds upon which birds, mostly finks (weavers), have built their nests. Eggs, young birds and the droppings of parent birds all have a food value for the fish below.'' He also writes: "Farmers have reported young ducklings being taken by fish in large rivers and farm dams.'' Some of these fish predators would have certainly been Clarias. Anglers reported that a hawk attacked a 'Kiwiki' bird, Stephanibyx coronatus which fell into the water above the barrage on the Vaal river. It was immediately taken by an outsize 'barbel' (Clarias). Mr. Hugh Roberts, who keeps about 100 large-mouth yellow-fish, Barbus pienaarii, and a dozen or so Clarias in a pond 10 yards in circum- ference and 5 feet deep, tells me that the "barbel" from \\ lb. upwards, will take a small bird like a Sparrow (Passer), Coly (Colius) or Masked Weaver (Ploceus) with one snap. The moment the fish sees the bird it quickly ' 'creeps'' upon it and sucks it under. A 6 lb. ' 'barbel'' can swallow a Laughing Dove (Stigmatopelia) or a Starling (Amydrus) with comparative ease, or 3 sparrows. The method is always the same whether the bird is dead or alive. It is sucked down by the vacuum caused by the sharply opened fish mouth just around and below it, after the fish has quietly come up below its prey, and is at once taken down to the bottom. It is difficult to see what goes on down below, but no feathers other than those initially disturbed ever come up. Should the "barbel" be overfed it may reject t
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