^58 Mr D. Eliis on the Natural History, qftlie Salvi&ri. 



of the river. * The reason why the fry thus descend by the 

 margin in rivers, and by the mid-channel in estuaries, is appa- 

 rently, says Dr Fleming, because the margin of the river is the 

 easy water, and consequently best suited to their young and 

 weak state : but when they reach the estuary or tideway, 

 then the margin of the water being there most disturbed, the 

 fry avoid it, and betake themselves to the deepest part of the 

 channel, disappearing aUke from observation and capture, and 

 so go out to sea. Hence they are never seen in the pools on 

 the banks of the estuary, nor caught in any of the nets used 

 there in taking the small fish -f*. 



The young fry, at this period of their growth, are called 

 sometimes Smolts or Samlets. They are of very different 

 size and weight, according to their age, varying from half an 

 ounce to two or more ounces. As they are never seen or taken by 

 salmon fishers after they enter the sea, it is probable, says Dr Fle- 

 ming, that they go into deep water at a distance from the shore. 



After remaining some weeks in the sea, the samlet returns to 

 the coasts and rivers, and is sometimes seen as early as May in 

 some rivers, being then about a pound or a pound and a half ia 

 weight ; in Scotland it is then termed a Grilse. The grilses 

 seldom, says Mr Little, appear till nearly the middle of June, 

 and weigh then from two to two and a half or three pounds, in» 

 creasing in size half a pound a week. By the end of the fishing 

 season, they weigh from seven to nine pounds j . In the river 

 Severn, they are said to return from the sea towards the end of 

 June or beginning of July, weighing then from two and a half 

 to three pounds, rarely four pounds ; but by the end of August, 

 says Mr Ellis, they have grown so large as to weigh from four 

 to eight pounds §. At this stage of growth they are called 

 Botchers ; of these, some of the larger ones go up the river to 

 spawn ; others are considered to return to the sea, and come up 

 again the next spring of the year |1 ; they then weigh from ten 

 to fifteen pounds, when they take the name of Gillings. 



Many experienced fishers, examined by the Committee, con- 

 sider the grilse as a fish altogether of a different species from the 

 salmon, while others regard it as the samlet in its progress to 



• Report I. p. 93. + Ibid. p. 11 1, 1 12. % Ibid. 



§ Ibid. II. Appen. p. 13. U Ibid. 



