182 ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES. 



are, besides, some other contrivances for netting 

 this iish in common use in yarious parts, which it 

 ivould be needless to mention. Many fish are killed 

 during the period when they ascend to the stream 

 heads for the purpose of spawning, by means of 

 what is called a leister or waster, an instrument 

 somevy'hat similar to a harpoon, or perhaps still more 

 so to a trident. Salmon are speared with this in- 

 strument by torch -light, and the fish, which are 

 sometimes of very large size, though often unhealthy 

 at this season, beAviidered by the unusual glare of 

 light, and the splashing in the water, are easily dis- 

 covered, and followed from pool to pool, till an 

 opportunity of striking them is afforded. Besides 

 these methods for destroying salmon, no small num- 

 ber is annually taken by the rod, and this kind of 

 fishing has probably now arrived at the highest pitch 

 of perfection. Angling for salmon (in the Tweed at 

 least) is allowed for a month after tlie net fishing 

 Ikis closed for the season. 



The greater part of the salmon taken in the Scotch 

 rivers is sent to the London market, principally 

 j)acked in ice ; comparatively little is sold in the 

 neighbourhood of the fishing stations, and much is 

 dried, pickled, or otherwise preserved. 



In many parts of North America it is very plen- 

 tiful, being annually exported from Newfoundland 

 alone, of the value of, in 1815, £14,000. This 



lifiy on the east coast, probably by a net of tbis kind. Dr. 

 Young relates an extraordinary capture of 1452 salmon by 

 some Irish fishermen in the year 1776, at one drag of a single 

 net. 



