22 SALMON DO NOT FEED IN RIVERS. 



earlier than salmon, being maiden fish, it follows that the 

 produce of their spawn is much earlier ready for migration, 

 and begin to run in April, when they are about fifteen 

 months old. I have omitted to mention, in its proper 

 place, the interesting fact, that the shell of the young fry of 

 salmon adheres to the umbilical cord for nearly a calendar 

 month, which brings the fish to 130 days from the deposit 

 of the egg before he can hunt for his food, and the smolt 

 is beyond a yearling before he is strong enough to take to 

 the salt water; and when this change, is made he bids 

 adieu to fresh-water feeding for ever. A salmon or a grilse, 

 returning to its native river to spawn, feeds no more on 

 what was formerly its food, though it sports with flies, and 

 will now and then take a minnow or a lobworm. No sort 

 of food is ever found in the maw of the salmon when cap- 

 tured in fresh water ; but when taken at the mouths of 

 rivers, or on the coast making towards them, the remains 



of small fry are frequently found among the contents of the 

 I 



stomach. The salmon and grilse, too, when taken at the 

 /) 



mouth of a river, are of different flesh and flavour to those 



taken up-stream, the former being firm, brittle of flesh, and 

 of large flake ; but when taken in the latter, the flesh is 

 weedy, thin of flake, and wanting in fat, and is of course 

 greatly affected by the enlarged size of the roe or milt. 

 Mr. Young, of Sutherlandshire, writing on this subject lately 

 in a weekly publication, says, that "each salmon, upon his 



