THE SALMON. 33 



the angler. They will spring over rapid falls, from seven 

 to ten feet in height, and force their way against a 

 powerful volume of descending water. It is when the 

 salmon are running up streams of this description, broken 

 by rapids, and crossed by cataracts; and when they thus 

 meet with apparently insuperable obstacles to their pro- 

 gress, that enormous quantities are killed by poachers 

 and fish-hunters, with spears, leister and nets. We have 

 frequently seen a band of men come down to celebrated 

 salmon-rivers, in the north of England and in Scotland, 

 with a cart and horse, and in a very short space of time 

 catch as many lish as the horse could draw. In fact, the 

 destruction of salmon at this season is quite appalling; 

 and were it not for the vigilance of the guardians of the 

 rivers, and the strictness of the laws, the species would 

 scarcely be able to exist, under the constant repetition of 

 practices so manifestly destructive and unfair. 



The mode in which the salmon disposes of its spawn, 

 has been often dwelt upon and discussed by scientific 

 anglers. But, as the subject does not immediately and 

 necessarily come across the path of the sportsman, we 

 shall not enter upon any elaborate description of this 

 peculiar process, but rather content ourselves with a few 

 general observations on the matter. 



For the secure and effectual deposition of its spawn, 

 the salmon invariably selects pure running streams, with 

 gravelly bottoms. All slow, stagnant, sluggish, and clayey 

 bedded rivers are carefully avoided, or at most very, very 

 seldom entered. In their choice of the stream, the fish 

 never make any very serious mistake; but are conducted 

 by an almost infallible instinct, to a safe and suitable 

 place of deposit, with all the certainty and regularity that 

 experience and reason could themselves confer. Salmon 



D 



