1 1 6 The Complete Angler 



sea, he becomes, from a Samlet not so big as a 

 Gudgeon, to be a Salmon, in as short a time as a 

 gosling becomes to be a goose. Much of this has 

 been observed, by tying a riband, or some known 

 tape or thread, in the tail of some young Salmons 

 which have been taken in weirs as they have 

 swimmed towards the salt water ; and then by 

 taking a part of them again, with the known mark, 

 at the same place, at their return from the sea, 

 which is usually about six months after; and the 

 like experiment hath been tried upon young 

 swallows, who have, after six months' absence, been 

 observed to return to the same chimney, there to 

 make their nests and habitations for the summer 

 following ; which has inclined many to think, that 

 every Salmon usually returns to the same river in 

 which it was bred, as young pigeons taken out of 

 the same dovecote have also been observed to do. 



And you are yet to observe further, that the He- 

 salmon is usually bigger than the Spawner; and 

 that he is more kipper, and less able to endure a 

 winter in the fresh water than the She is : yet she 

 is, at that time of looking less kipper and better f 

 as watry, and as bad meat. 



And yet you are to observe, that as there is no 

 general rule without an exception, so there are some 

 few rivers in this nation that have Trouts and 

 Salmon in season in winter, as 'tis certain there be 

 in the river Wye in Monmouthshire, where they be 

 in season, as Camden observes, from September 

 till April. But, my scholar, the observation of this 

 and many other things I must in manners omit, 

 because they will prove too large for our narrow 

 compass of time, and, therefore, I shall next fall 

 upon my directions how to fish for this Salmon. 



And, for that: First you shall observe, that 

 usually he stays not long in a place, as Trouts 



