226 BOARD. OF AGRICULTURE. 



their methods of incubation, if that word can be used in default of 

 a better. 



The female salmon digs out a hollow with her nose and tail in 

 the bottom of some cold stream, near its head-waters, and where 

 the current has a gentle and regular flow. She brushes away the 

 dirt and sand with her fins and leaves a bottom of broken stones 

 the size of a bantam's egg. All this while her accepted mate, 

 who has won her favor possibly after many a tough buttle with 

 rival suitors, watches near at hand to drive oft" interlopers. As 

 soon as she has prepared the nest to her satisfaction and the first 

 throes of egg birth come upon her, the male darts to her side, 

 presses close against her, often seizing her by the gills and exudes 

 the fertilizing fluid with his body in contact with hers, so that the 

 eggs receive it the moment they issue. This act over and the 

 male retires for a time to resume his watch, calmly devouring 

 any stray eggs which come in his way or have been carried off by 

 the current, while the female proceeds to cover those which have 

 been impregnated. To do this she brings stones with her fins 

 carefully and places them so as to protect but not injure her 

 precious deposit. She is aided by the fact that salmon eggs are 

 almost as heavy as shot, and have the faculty of sticking for 

 almost half an hour to whatever the}' touch when they are first 

 exuded, although they afterward become free. So they sink at 

 once and adhere to the bottom long enough for her to cover them 

 before they are washed away. As soon as the first deposit is 

 properly covered, the operation of spawning is renewed, and so 

 on perhaps for several days, till quite a mound of small stones is 

 erected on the spot where the fishy labors have been expended. 

 Then the parents, weary, exhausted, ugly, ungainly^ almost dead, 

 descend slowly to the sea, sickly in themselves and worthless as 

 food until fine living on fat crustaceans and lively minnows shall 

 have restored their flesh, strength and beauty. At this season 

 they are utterly unfit for food, and those who eat them often eat 

 maggots as well, and the ignorant epicures who put on their 

 tables these fish in December have the satisfaction of knowing 

 that they are eating salmon flavored with worms, and very poor 

 and thin at that. 



But no sooner has that pair of spawners left their nest than 

 another pair comes along, and here begins the first difficulty in 

 piscatorial housekeeping, for the second pair are exceedingly apt 

 to select for their operations the identical spot chosen by the first, 



