THK <JAMK FISH i»K NoUTH A.MHlMC.x. Mi 



SALMONIDJ-:, Oh' TIIK sAI.MoN FAMILY. 



- --♦■ - 



It must not he supposi-d, althouf^h, for want of ivllcctioii on 

 tlic suhjort, many persons proliahly may expcet it, that the 

 closest ol)server and most accurate discriminator of the facts on 

 which the science of the natnraHst is founded, can hiy (h)\vn the 

 hiw with rejjard to the hal)its, the food, the haunts, the aj)petitcs, 

 or even the distinct species, of that portion of the animal crea- 

 tion which dwiU for the most part unseen in the hosom (jf the 

 waters, with the same certainty as lie can those of domestic 

 animals, or even of hirds and beasts, frrw nuturd. 



Of the latter even, especially of wild hirds, which emigrate 

 tVom clime to clime with the chanj;e of seasons, there has been 

 much dillicnlty in ascertain inj,' the j^rowth, the a;^e, and the 

 chanj^es of plumaf;e, from the immature to the adult animal, or 

 from the winter to the summer dress — s(» nmeh so, that out 

 of individuals ditfering in aj^e, sex, or season, of the sainie 

 family, and l)el<m;;in}; to a sinjjlc species, in nuuiy instances 

 two, three, or more distinct varieties have been created by 

 natunilists. 



Much has been cft'ected, indeed, of late in these particulars, 

 owing to the greater science and experience of modern natural- 



o 



