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rapidity, and where the bottom consists of pebbles and sand; here they 

 remain till autumn, and having deposited spawn, they proceed back 

 to the ocean; a few, however, continue sometimes the whole winter in 

 fresh water; for it frequently happens, particularly in Sweden, that 

 the streams freeze so early as to prevent their return. In Ireland also, 

 Salmon are found in some of the rivers throughout the whole year. 

 When Salmon enter a river they do so in numbers, arranged in two 

 rows, forming the two sides of a triangle, one of the largest being com- 

 monly stationed at the summit; and if they meet with any obstacle 

 which deranges this order, they resume as soon as they have past it, 

 their former position. They swim always in the middle of the stream, 

 and near the surface of the water, but if the weather is stormy or 

 hot they continue their course nearer the bottom. Their keeping at 

 the surface, and in the middle of the stream, arises no doubt, from 

 their fondness for currents; for it is known by the experiments of 

 Mariotte, that a stream is always stronger in the middle than at the 

 sides, and that water flows with more velocity near the surface than at 

 a greater depth. 



" Salmon take long migrations, and if they meet with a waterfall or 

 barrier, spring over it by putting their tail to their mouth, so as to 

 form their body into a circle;* in this manner they are able, if the 

 water be deep, to throw themselves to the height of five or six feet; 

 when they reach the summit of the fall, they strike the water with 

 their tail, as a sign of their satisfaction, and proceed onwards ; if they 

 fail in their attempt, they renew it after a short rest, and continue in 

 this manner till they accomplish their end, or discover the impossi- 

 bility of succeeding. When Salmon arrive at a place where two rivers 

 meet, one of which is rapid and the other still, they first enter the 

 former, but afterwards proceed to the latter, with a view, perhaps, of 

 finding a more quiet place for depositing their spawn. They prefer 

 also rivers closely bordered with trees, because they are fond of the shade, 

 and of cool water; on the other hand they avoid rivers, the mouths 

 of which are beset with buildings, as has been experienced by the 

 fishermen in Sweden. They do not readily proceed from rivers into 

 small streams, the mouths of which are shallow, except in stormy 

 weather, when the water is so turbid that they are not able to see their 

 way. The floating of wood drives back Salmon, and they seldom 

 approach places where there are buoys, or movable objects of the like 

 kind; they are scared also by any thing that is red, and, therefore, it 

 is advisable not to cover houses near Salmon fisheries with tiles of that 

 colour. Saw-mills, in consequence of their noise, frighten Salmon as well 

 as other fish, and if the former, when they approach the coast or mouths 

 of rivers, hear any noise, or perceive seals, their mortal enemies, they 

 immediately retire. In the year 1743, whole shoals of Salmon were 

 sent back into the sea, from the mouth of the river Tornea, in Sweden, 

 by the firing of a few three-pounders belonging to the artillery." 



* The body of the fish is one continued muscle; this gives them their great 

 strength, and their swiftness in the water. 



