The North Country Angler. 37 



of diversion from Midsummer to Martinmas, at 

 which time you may kill as many as you will of 

 them, with the half fly and a grub or a maggot. 



CHAP. XL 



Of the Spawning of Salmon, Trouis, fyc. 



H< 



LOW the several species of salmon, salmon- 

 trout, burn-trout, or spotted trout, and some 

 other fish, are propagated, I have been not a 

 little inquisitive and curious in my observations. 

 I have seen fall of them spawning several times 

 with wonder and pleasure, at the surprizing in- 

 stinct which the God of nature has given them. 



Salmon, and the several species of trout, spawn 

 generally in September and October, earlier or 

 later, as the season is most agreeable for that end. 



Where plenty of salmon are taken in locks or 

 nets, it is easy to observe when the spawn begins 

 to grow in them, which in some may be seen in 

 the beginning of April, in others not till May, as 

 they have got up the river, and spawned, and 

 gone down again to sea the preceding year. For 

 sometimes, there not being proper floods to 

 bring them down to the tide, they will lie a 

 month or six weeks in the fresh water pools, in 

 a languid starving condition; and such fish will 

 be a month or six weeks longer in recovering, 

 when they do get to the 'salt water. From 

 their first having milts and roes in them, till 



B 



