GROWTH OF SALMON. 181 



Theoph. That is very likely ; but you .must 

 allow something for the bad condition it was pro- 

 bably in on the two former occasions ; having, 

 we might suppose, recently spawned upon the 

 first. A salmon which, full of spawn, would 

 cause a twelve-pound weight to kick the beam, 

 would, as soon as the operation was over, lose at 

 least five pounds, not merely from the emission 

 of its spawn, but from the general decline in its 

 condition ; and if you were to mark such a fish 

 when only thus weighing seven pounds, and catch 

 him in the following year, you would be sur- 

 prised to find he had increased to near twenty 

 pounds. They are perfect gourmands while at 

 sea ; and this it is which nourishes and increases 

 them so astonishingly. But you were asking me 

 about this river. Success here entirely depends 

 on the state of the season. In fine dry weather, 

 one may toil through many days, not to say weeks, 

 without a rise. But let a fresh come, and you 

 will have a pretty good " take" for a day or two. 

 In two instances, six or seven, varying from four to 

 fourteen pounds, were taken by one angler in a 

 day, last season ; though this is most rare sport. 

 I have, myself, taken two, thirteen and ten 

 pounds, and lost, after playing them some time, 

 one of about fifteen, and another of ten pounds, 

 and pricked three or four, and had a few rises 

 besides : all which might have been realised. Two 

 fish of any weight, say from seven to twelve pounds, 



