SPECIES OF THE SALMON. 37 



sells for a great price, yet it hardly pays the fisher- 

 man for the expense of nets and loss of time. 

 These fish continue to increase in number, size, and 

 goodness as the summer advances ; but it is an 

 universal remark, that no such large jish are caught 

 now as used to be taken formerly ; which I attribute 

 to the spent fish being either destroyed in fish- 

 coops, or prevented by other means from return- 

 ing to the sea, so that the chief influx of fish in 

 the fall of the year is of young fish which have 

 never bred before. 



This is a statement of the progress of these four 

 fish, that is, the smelt, the peal, the truff, and the 

 salmon — whether one, two, or three species re- 

 mains to be determined from the facts which I have 

 stated, and those which will follow. I have not 

 made it a question whether the smelt is a different 

 species, because I never heard any one contend 

 that it was. These four fish are as much alike as 

 four hen's eggs, excepting in size; is it not then a 

 rational inference, that they constitute one species ? 



2. The salmon-peal and the truff are never seen 

 in any rivers but where there are salmon ; and 

 where salmon are, there they are : the former are 

 plentiful or scarce according -to the number of the 

 latter; and this is a strong corroborating circum- 

 stance. 



3. The flesh of all the three fish is of the same 

 quality and character, flaky, rich, and luscious, and 

 soon satiating; the colour and quality vary accord- 

 ing to the length of time the several fish have 



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