86 THE FISHERIES. 



the fry, which actually descend to the sea from 

 every river, and in every season, are so numerous, 

 that we cannot escape from the conclusion, that 

 some enormous waste, goes on in the sea, from na- 

 tural causes ; and that, until this waste can be con- 

 trolled, it will answer no paramount practical pur- 

 pose, to multiply further the abundant production, 

 which the salmon (if allowed to go up to spawn in 

 sufficient numbers) can, without any adventitious aid, 

 eifect for themselves. The leaves on the trees are 

 not more abundant than the prodigious swarms of 

 salmon-fry which we have seen in some seasons de- 

 scending rivers ; and yet, in ensuing seasons, no ob- 

 servable increase, either of grilse or matured salmon, 

 has taken place. 



We have often, also — indeed, continuously, for a pe- 

 riod of some thirty years — been puzzled with a fact, 

 which we have constantly and invariably observed ; 

 namely,that when a flood occurs — opportunely, as is 

 often thought, at the very period (say the beginning 

 of May) when the fry are on their passage to the sea 

 — the very result that would naturally be expected 

 from the safe transit of the whole body of the fry, 

 from the river to the sea — does not actually take 

 place, but the very opposite ; and the ensuing and 

 corresponding salmon season often shows, not an in- 

 crease beyond the average of other years, but very 

 frequently a diminution. Many years back we were 

 so much struck with this circumstance, that we re- 

 solved to keep, and did keep, a registry of floods ; 



