198 BY UOOK AND BY CROOK. 



of which they are cured upon contact with salt water, 

 but upon their return to the river the scar is plainly 

 visible on the parts unprotected by scales, being of a 

 reddish colour and rather lower than the surface of the 

 unaffected portion. 



When fishing salmon in spring we have many a time 

 in a crevice of rock come across a smolt lying in a list- 

 less manner, and upon catching him in the net have 

 discovered a white fluffy growth around his jaw, which 

 had grown upon an injured place caused by the hook 

 of the trout-fisher. The growth appeared to be quite 

 the same as the disease on salmon, and we have seen 

 the heads of fish wounded by fighting afifected in the 

 same manner. 



It is well worth the angler's while to spend a few 

 days in winter by the waterside, as the spawning opera- 

 tions will afl'ord plenty of instruction. 



It is most curious to note the jealousy of the male 

 fish, who fights to the death any intruder upon his 

 preserves, charging repeatedly until the water may be 

 tinged with blood. In these conflicts the huge gibs of 

 the older and larger fish are powerful weapons of 

 offence, and in great measure contribute to the defeat 

 of the foe ; thus, the old males on the spawning-redds 

 take precedence of their younger and more vigorous 

 rivals, whereas in artificial breeding the latter are 

 selected for duty. 



Salmon select for their spawning-ground or redds a 

 gravelly bed, over which the water runs shallow and 



