496 Dr KNOX on the Natural History of 



be addressed to the Highland Society of Scotland, or to the Legislature, rather than 

 to a society whose objects are purely scientific and literary. 



The only observation that is thought necessary to introduce here is, that the author 

 of these papers trusts, that every one adequately informed as to the nature of salmon 

 fishing, will agree with him in thinking the measures adopted by Parliament, at the 

 suggestion of Mr HOME DRUMMOND, with reference to the stake-net fisheries, to be 

 most prudent and cautious, and that whilst most of the great questions remained un- 

 settled, and more especially since none was found throughout their most extended 

 " Inquiry," who could offer a rational conjecture (founded on facts), personally known 

 and understood ; (the result of positive research by a competent naturalist and physiologist), 

 as to the food of the salmon, its Jiabitat whilst in the ocean, and its feeding ground, it 

 would have been imprudent to risk extensive experiments on the fishing laws. 



7. Opinions of Authors, including the Evidence and Report on the part of t/ie Committee 



of the House of Commons. 



THE latest opinion worthy of any notice with which I am acquainted, is that of Pro- 

 fessor RENNIE, Professor of Zoology, King's College, London ; and contained in a new 

 edition of the Complete Angler of IZAAK WALTON, published August 1833. 



WALTON, in speaking of the Fordidge trout taken in Kent near Canterbury, says, 

 " It is accounted the rarest of fish, many of them near the bigness of the salmon, but 

 known by their different colour, and in their best season they cut very white, and none 

 of these have been known to be caught by the angle, unless it were one that was caught 

 by Sir GEORGE HASTINGS, an excellent angler, and now with God, and he hath told me 

 he thought that this one bit not for hunger, but wantonness, and it is rather to be be- 

 lieved, because both he then and many others before him have been curious to search 

 into their bellies what the food was by which they lived, and have found out nothing 

 by which they might satisfy their curiosity." To this Mr RENNIE appends the follow- 

 ing note : " The same is true of the salmon, which has never any thing besides a yellow 

 fluid in his stomach when caught. The same is also true of the herring." 



This opinion must be quite peculiar to Professor RENNIE. I know of no author in 

 which such a fact is mentioned, nor have I ever seen any thing of the kind myself. I 

 mean the yellow fluid spoken of by Mr RENNIE. 



The late Dr WALKER, who for his time was a good naturalist, and undoubtedly a 

 most careful observer, possessing the requisites of an accurate and scientific mind, viz. 

 accuracy of observation and fidelity of narration, read some papers to the Highland So- 

 ciety of Scotland, on the natural history of the salmon and of the herring. 



His account of the samlet, or smolt, is perhaps sufficiently accurate for general pur- 

 poses ; but where the salmon, a fish of such value, is considered, the history of the sam- 

 let if possible ought to be more faithfully, or at least more minutely, recorded. This I 

 have endeavoured to do in the text, p. 472. The herling he considers as a samlet of the 

 same year, returning for a short time to the rivers in August and September, but never 

 ascending far up the river ; twenty-six miles he considers as a long way up for them to 

 ascend. After a short residence they return again to the sea, and are not to be seen 

 in the river from September till the following April." P. 354. In respect to these 



