SALMONID.E. 



appearance of the check of a Labrus ; the lower jaw elon- 

 gates, and a cartilaginous projection turns upwards from the 

 point, which, when the jaws are closed, occupies a deep 

 cavity between the intermaxillary bones of the upper jaw ; 

 the body partakes of the golden orange tinge, and the 

 Salmon in this state is called a red-fish. The females 

 are dark in colour, and are as commonly called black-fish ; 

 and by these terms both are designated in those local and 

 precautionary regulations intended for the protection and 

 preservation of the breeding fish. 



The process of spawning has been described by various 

 observers. " A pair of fish are seen to make a furrow, by 

 working up the gravel "with their noses, rather against the 

 stream, as a Salmon cannot work with his head down stream, 

 for the water then going into his gills the wrong way, drowns 

 him. When the furrow is made, the male and female 

 retire to a little distance, one to the one side and the other 

 to the other side of the furrow : they then throw themselves 

 on their sides, again come together, and rubbing against each 

 other, both shed their spawn into the furrow at the same 

 time. This process is not completed at once ; it requires 

 from eight to twelve days for them to lay all their spawn, 

 and when they have done they betake themselves to the 

 pools to recruit themselves. Three pairs have been seen 

 on the spawning-bed at one time, and were closely watched 

 while making the furrow and laying the spawn." * 



The following extracts are made from a paper by Dr. 

 Knox, published in the Transactions of the Royal Society of 

 Edinburgh. 



" November &. Salmon are observed to be spawning 

 in the various tributary streams of the Tweed which join 

 that river from the north, and a pair are watched. The ova 



* Ellis on the Natural History of the Salmon. 



