8 THE SPORTING FISH 



time of hatching, the growth and habits of the 

 young fry will be traced from the ^g'g until their 

 mieration to the salt water as Smolts ; their sub- 

 sequent return as Grilse ; and, finally, as Salmon. 



Ascent of Salmon from the sea : fresh-run 



FISH. 



Sooner or later during the spring and summer 

 months a proportion at least of the Salmon in the 

 bays and estuaries of the coast make their way up 

 the rivers for the purpose of spawning — their ge- 

 neral colouring at this period being a brilliant sil- 

 very white, merging into a bluish black with a few 

 dark spots on the upper part of the body and head. 

 When first ascending from the sea, Salmon are 

 termed " fresh-run" fish, and are then in the most 

 perfect condition both for the rod and the table. 



The marks by which a fresh-run fish may be 

 known are, the bright, silvery hue of the belly and 

 sides, and the comparatively loose adherence of 

 the scales — this more ^particularly in the Grilse. 

 In the case also of Salmon just fresh from the sea, 

 a species of parasite, called " tide-lice," may be fre- 

 quently found attached to the fish. These, how- 

 ever, are killed by a few hours' contact with fresh 

 water. 



In some rivers the ascent and spawning-time of 

 the Salmon are much earlier than in others. This 



