THE 



CANADIAN 



NATURALIST AND GEOLOGIST. 



BY E. BILLINGS. 



Volume I. JUNE, 1856. Number III. 



ARTICLE XXYIH.— On the Natural History of the Salmon, {Salmo 

 salar,) with remarks upon its economical importance and 

 preservation ; By Frank Forelle. Written for the Cana- 

 dian Naturalist and Geologist. 



Saint Catherines, C.W., June, 1856. 



Tlie Salmon is a fresh-water fish. It passes the whole of the first year 

 of its life and two-thirds of every other in the fresh water, making aimual 

 and sometimes bi-annual migrations to the sea. It may be that we do not 

 yet fully know why they make these visits to the sea, but their chief object 

 seems to be food of different quality and perhaps greater quantity than can 

 be found in fresh water. This opinion is based upon the fact that after itg 

 first year the Salmon never increases in size while in fresh water ; but, on 

 the contrary, diminishes gradually every day, both in muscle and fat, after 

 coming from the ocean. 



There is no fish that in beauty or flavor can compare with a Salmon 

 when fresh from the sea, for then he is in the highest condition, and may be 

 well esteemed by both sportsman and epicure as the king of fishes. At this 

 time, the color along the back is a blueish black, with green reflections, 

 which diminishes in intensity as it approaches the lateral line ; below this, it 

 is a clear silvery white. The head is somewhat darker than the back. The 

 dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins are a dusky black, the ventrals are light- 

 colored, and the anals are silvery white, like the belly. There are usually a 

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