20 THE SALMON 



tunately too well known, and consequently beset with 

 dangers. We have seen that it is still uncertain how 

 often they breed, or how long they live ; and, as 

 their growth is in the sea, it is curious that some 

 rivers- are never visited by fish of very large size, and 

 that, even with long and large rivers like the Tay and 

 Tweed, monsters are far more often met with in the 

 former than in the latter. Another puzzle is to 

 account for the reason for their jumping. I do not 

 mean at a fall, but when in the pools and heads of 

 streams. It is not at flies or insects, as in the case of 

 trout, and they might easily get sufficient exercise in 

 their native element. Again, why do salmon take 

 flies ? Some have quaintly suggested that they do so 

 from irritation ; but if so, how is it that they are ' put 

 down ' instead of ' up ' when a ' Captain ' or ' Blue 

 Doctor' has passed over their heads a great number 

 of times ? I am more anxious to murder an organ- 

 grinder after two tunes than one, and my wrath 

 increases in geometrical proportion to the pertinacity 

 with which he grinds his instrument of torture. I 

 can well imagine Sal/no salar being bored at seeing a 

 small object opening and shutting and jumping back- 

 wards and forwards, as he is vainly endeavouring to 

 get forty winks at the bottom of the pool, and even 

 his making up his mind that if it went on any longer 



