Thoreau proceeded to toss these fish to the dogs, one at a time, and one to each dog.

The watchful and apparently famished beasts caught the fish in mid-air, and there followed a snarling and grinding of teeth and smashing of bones and frozen flesh that made David shiver.

He was half disgusted.

Thoreau might at least have boiled the fish, or thawed them out.

A fish weighing from one and a half to two pounds was each dog's allotment, and the work--if this feeding process could be called work--was done.