180 CHANGE OF SPAWNING-BEDS. 



upon the quantity of spawn to be deposited 

 therein, and also upon the hardness or softness 

 of the gravel which has to be excavated. The 

 harder the gravel-bed, the shorter the spawning- 

 bed, for then the succession of nests will be more 

 compact, and take up less space, whether in length 

 or width. 



A single pair of salmon may be forced to form 

 distinct beds, in different spots. For instance, 

 they have commenced spawning in a stream two 

 feet in depth more or less, and w^hilst so engaged, 

 the river falls so low, that they cannot continue 

 to work in the first selected spot, for want of 

 water wherein freely to move. When this hap- 

 pens they will drop lower down, or at any rate 

 retire elsewhere, in search of deeper running 

 water. Other causes may induce them, e.g. floods, 

 to have recourse to the formation of a second bed, 

 in a spot suited for it. 



Thinking as I do the laying and impregnating, 

 covering up and hatching of salmon-eggs — I use 

 plain words purposely — most interesting points in 

 the history of our River-king, I will not, if I can, 

 leave any thing connected with them untouched. 

 When I do not state facts, I will bring forward 

 deductions and, as it were, circumstantial evidence 

 as convincing to the reasoning mind as fact itself. 



