56 SAMLET SALMON. 



water in spring, not larger than gudgeons, return 

 into it again a foot or more in length : thirdly, the 

 Salmon obtains a considerable bulk before it begins 

 to breed ; the Samlets, on the contrary, are found 

 both male and female of -their common size, and 

 are readily distinguished by being furnished with 

 either the hard or soft roe : fourthly, they are found 

 in the fresh waters all times of the year, and even 

 at seasons when the Salmon fry have gained a con- 

 siderable size. It is well known that at Shrewsbury 

 (where they are called Samsons), they are found in 

 such quantities in the month of September, that a 

 skilful angler, in a coracle, will take with a fly from 

 twelve to sixteen dozen in a day. They spawn in 

 November and December, at which time those of 

 the Severn push up towards the head of that river, 

 quitting the smaller brooks, and return into them 

 again when they have done spawning. They have a 

 general resemblance to the Trout, and must there- 

 lore be described comparatively. 



The head is proportionally narrower, and the 

 mouth smaller : the body deeper : the length 

 seldom more than six or seven inches ; or at most 

 about eight and a half: the pectoral fins have 

 generally but one large black spot, though some- 

 times a single small one attends it ; whereas the 

 pectoral fins of the Trout are more numerously 

 marked : the spurious or fat fin on the back is 

 never tipped with red, nor is the edge of the anal 

 lin white: the spots on the body are fewer, and 

 not so bright : the body is also marked from back 

 to sides with six or seven large blueish bars ; but 



