SEWEN. 



209 



ranare at sea is as limited as when in fresh water; for there 

 are one or two rivers on the north borders of Devon and 

 Cornwall, into which, as it comes along the opposite shores of 

 South Wales, it might be supposed at least sometimes to find 

 its way. Yet such does not appear to be ever the case, although 

 a transfer of the breeding fish, as has been accomplished with 

 the Salmon, would probably be successful, and thus a highly- 

 delicious species might be made to have a more extensive 

 range. That it has not excited more general attention is to 

 be explained by a remark made by Sir Joseph Banks to Mr. 

 Dillwyn, that it was of too delicate a structure to be conveyed 

 to the London market, where hitherto it has not been seen. 



On inquiring among fishermen well acquainted with this 



fish, I learn that they ascend their favourite rivers to spawn 



in autumn, and the roe is deposited usually in October and 



November, in rocky ground, not in such shallow water as the 



Salmon; but beyond this the particular situations and mode 



of development have not been closely attended to. The young 



go down to the sea in March and April, at Avhich time they 



possess the common character of the family, in bearing a 



resemblance to the early growth especially of the Peal or 



White Trout, from which, and the young of the Salmon, 



which are clothed with the silver scales, they are then not 



easily distinguished. As hoAvever these young of the Sewen 



are said to weigh in early spring a couple of ounces, or 



more, it may be questioned whether the fishes to which these 



remarks apply may not be in many instances the growth of 



the beginning of the second year, confounded with those of 



an earlier growth. It seems certain, at least, that early in 



July an emigration of larger fish takes place, but whether 



they remain until they spawn, or how many return to the sea 



before or without spawning seems uncertain. Mr. Dillwyn and 



his friend Mr. Talbot had remarked that males had not been 



discovered among those which bore the name of Sewen; but 



this is corrected by many of the fishermen, who report that 



the male is just as common as the female, and they add that 



this fish readily takes a bait, especially in the form of an 



appropriate fly, which is seized with a leap and plunge, and 



with the habit also that when the hook is felt, instead of 



running off" with a tight line, it rushes often towards the 



VUL. lY. 2 E 



