OF A SALMON. 5 



By the way, I well remember that for some 

 days I sought no food myself. A small bag 

 (though almost as large as myself) hung sus- 

 pended from my throat, and gave me some 

 annoyance, by impeding my early movements; 

 this bag I much rejoiced to find diminishing, 

 and one morning my delight was great at 

 being entirely rid of it ; but with its departure 

 came a new sense ; the first cravings of hunger 

 quickened my already increased powers of 

 volition, and I eagerly began to seek for food, 

 like the finny tribe around me. 



In this early stage of my career I must plead 

 guilty to having myself sought prey too nearly 

 related to my former state. Spawn which had 

 been washed from its bed, and came floating 

 through the shallows, constituted the first food 

 I nibbled at ; and thus, I very 'much fear, I have 

 given too much way to a temptation which has 

 served to destroy some thousands of my own 

 species, ere yet they saw the light. I soon, 

 however, learned to pursue with avidity a dif- 

 ferent food in the insect tribe which rejoiced in 

 their own element as they darted hither and 

 thither through the clear water, in pursuit of 

 prey still more minute than themselves. 



Very soon the gravel bed and its sunny shal- 

 lows ceased to content me. I began to shun 



