NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 5 



proof than their present scarcity, contrasted with 

 their former abundance. Unless the salmon is pro- 

 tected bylaw, he must fall under the destroying arm 

 of man, for he is as much in the power of man as 

 sheep or oxen. It is not so with the sea-fish, they 

 have a range more unrestrained. Man may, by 

 improper and injudicious conduct, diminish the 

 number of these, but he cannot exterminate the 

 species.* 



The history of many places, particularly that of 

 Chester, informs us, that salmon were once so plen- 

 tiful, that masters were restrained by their inden- 

 tures from compelling their apprentices to eat this 

 fish more than twice a week ; and there is now 

 nothing wanting but an efficient law to render 

 them as abundant as they were then. No natural 

 cause exists to produce the present scarcity. As 

 to the time when salmon are in season, either in 

 the same or in different rivers, and as to the time 

 when the rivers ought to be put in defence, they 

 are circumstances of so much consequence that 

 we shall give an entire chapter to their consider- 

 ation. 



Whatever may be thought of the old acts, and the 

 advantages which may be derived from them by 



* Salmon are called fish of prey — a turkey may as well be 

 called a bird of prey, because he eats insects. Fish of almost 

 every kind, as well as birds, are animals of prey. But surely we 

 cannot rank the salmon with the rapacious shark and porpoise, 

 any more than we do the turkey with the carnivorous eagle 

 and falcon tribe. 



b3 



