FISHES. 237 



when there is a sufficient flow of water, will leap over 

 rocks, weirs, and other obstacles that, alas too commonly, 

 bar its progress. In different stages, Salmon are known 

 by various names: samlet or parr, smolt, grilse, 

 "red-fish" (male salmon at spawning time), "kipper," 

 shedder, gilling, botcher, etc. The fry of Salmon (locally 

 known as samlets), remain one, two, and, in some cases 

 three years, in the rivers before going down to the sea. 

 Samlets and the fry of Trout are very similar in appear- 

 ance, but the former are usually more silvery, and their 

 spots more uniform in arrangement. The most distinc- 

 tive feature, however, is in the tiny adipose fin the 

 fatty growth behind the dorsal fin. When this fin is 

 tipped with red or orange it almost invariably proclaims 

 the fish to be Salmofario, (Common Brown Trout). If these 

 colours are absent it is wise for anglers to conclude their 

 capture to be one or other of the migratory salmonidae, 

 and to return it to the water, as the capture of salmon 

 fry is, of course, illegal. There is reason to fear, however, 

 that large quantities of samlets are, in open disregard of 

 the law, taken from the Severn and tributaries, by un- 

 scrupulous anglers, and by poachers, who sweep the fords 

 with small-meshed nets. It is a well known, and much-to- 

 be-regretted fact, that these delicate fish find a ready 

 private " market ;" were it not so, poaching of the kind 

 indicated would not be so prevalent. The capture of 

 samlets is a most reprehensible practice; the more so 

 because there are so many causes at work depleting the 

 Severn and like rivers of Salmon. Attention should 

 certainly be directed by Parliament to the serious con- 

 dition of the salmon fisheries of the Severn and other 

 important inland fisheries. "Severn Salmon" is now an 



