ON THE YOUNG OF THE SALMON. 165 



spawner, but that was not the case ; they both contained the 

 soft roe, which, on their being handled, came from them of 

 a thick cream-like appearance. These two fish, which ought 

 then to have attained their full growth, they had been distinct 

 species, were under the usual size. It becomes a question, 

 whether or not this accumulation does not disappear sponta- 

 neously, as just mentioned, at that season of the year, and 

 that the same accumulation may take place at the usual sea- 

 son in the following year, and become perfected spawn when 

 the fish attains a size adapted for maturing it. Whether this 

 be the case or not, it must be admitted that such an accumu- 

 lation of milt as is to be seen in these fish in the autumn, is 

 extraordinary, and is the only circumstance, as far as it goes, 

 that has come under my observation, in favour of the opinion 

 that the samlet is a distinct species. 



That these fish go down to the sea, I have no doubt ; it is 

 the natural instinct of the young of the salmon to do so ; but 

 that they return again the same size as they go down (as is 

 asserted by Dr. Hey sham), I must utterly deny to be practi- 

 cable in the situations where I have found them, and which I 

 think will appear from what I shall have to say on this point. 

 They are to be taken as far. up the river Wye as Llangerig, 

 eight miles above Rhayader; and, independently of the dis- 

 tance being nearly 200 miles by water, they would have a 

 cataract to surmount, above the bridge at Rhayader, of about 

 three feet, with numerous other falls and rapids ; I believe I 

 may assert, that there is no instance in the history of fishes 

 of so small a size, taking yearly, such a voyage in the fresh 

 water, to say nothing of its impracticability. 



Near the celebrated pass of Pont Aberglaslyn, in Carnar- 

 vonshire, the river becomes a roaring cataract during the 

 course of half a mile, falling over ledges of rock, varying 

 from one to four feet ; and at the mill at Beddgelert, a mile 

 higher up the same river, is a weir of two to three feet, where 

 I have witnessed a fish, nearly a pound weight, fail in its 

 attempt to ascend. The ascent, therefore, is not likely to be 

 accomplished by a fish weighing scarcely two ounces, inde- 

 pendently of the cataracts mentioned below; yet, I have 

 taken samlets in the river, above the weir, in the lake of 

 Llyn-y-Dinas ; and in the same river, as far up the vale of 

 Gwynant as the foot of Snowdon. They are also to be taken 

 in the Ogwen, in the vale of Nant-Frangon, as far up that 

 river as Mr. Pennant's slate quarries, which is as high as 

 the salmon go, and no further, being there stopped by a fall 

 of about sixteen feet ; to go thus far, they have to ascend 

 innumerable rocks and falls, such as could only be surmounted 



