56 AMERICAN FISHES. 



The Connecticut river, which has no large lake on its course, and is 

 the southernmost of all the rivers which have furnished Salmon for 

 many years past, has ceased to be a Salmon river; or some facts 

 might have been ascertained through observation of its waters. The 

 Kennebec also, though formerly an unrivalled Salmon river, is becom- 

 ing yearly less productive of this fine fish. I am inclined to think, 

 however, that it is the earliest Salmon river on this side of the Ameri- 

 can continent ; with the Arctic rivers I have of course nothing to do ; 

 and of the rivers or natural productions of California, Oregon, and the 

 Pacific coast, we shall know nothing on which reliance can be placed, 

 until the gold-hunting hordes are replaced by a stationary and organ- 

 ised population. 



The mouth of the Kennebec is about one degree to the southward 

 and westward of the Penobscot, and flows out of a large sheet of water, 

 Moosehead lake, which abounds in the common Lake Trout, growing 

 to a very large size, the Salmo Confinis of DeKay. I presume that 

 the true Salmon no longer has the power of making his way up to the 

 head-waters of this beautiful and limpid stream, in consequence of the 

 numerous and lofty dams which bar its course ; but of this I am not 

 certain. 



The Salmon enters our rivers, then, rarely before the middle of May, 

 and is taken in their estuaries so late as the end of July ; and during 

 the early part of the season, nearly indeed until the latter date, does 

 not ascend far above tide-water, generally going up with the flood, and 

 returning with the ebb. At this time they are taken by thousands in 

 stake-nets, on the Penobscot and other eastern rivers, and sent thence, 

 packed in ice, to the markets of all the larger cities of the United States, 



At the time of their first entering the fresh-water, when they are in 

 the highest possible condition, in the greatest perfection of flesh and 

 flavor, and at the height of external beauty, they are of a rich trans- 

 parent blueish-black, varied with greenish reflections along the back, 

 these colors gradually dying away as they approach and pass the lateral 

 line, below which the belly is of the most beautiful glistening silvery 

 whiteness. The dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins, are dusky black, 

 the small fatty second dorsal fin bluish-black, the central fins white 

 on the outer side, but somewhat darker within, and the anal fin silvery 

 white, like the belly. 



