230 FACT AGAINST FICTION, 



When salmon, particularly, are manipulated for 

 the purpose of producing spawn, any person 

 conversant with the rebellious and violent resist- 

 ance which that gallant fish offers to the hands 

 of men, when landed by line or in the net, must 

 know that great force has to be used, and a 

 tenacious grasp fixed on the fish, to retain it in 

 the position required when pressed for the purpose 

 of sj^awn. Why, when a salmon is landed fresh 

 from the net, if not killed or stunned with the 

 hammer, without man's violence, he will beat 

 himself to pieces on the ground ; and my readers 

 may take my word for it that, let the ova-seekers 

 say what they will, half or more than lialf of the 

 salmon ojjerated on for the purposes of ar.tificial 

 breeding, when returned to the water, disappeai^ 

 and die. 



In retmiiing fish of any kind to their natural 

 element, with a view to their restoration to life 

 and health, they should be carefully put down 

 with tlieir nose just within the water, and thus 

 let glide away. 



It is far from my wish to throw cold water even 

 on fish, or on the attempts I liave heard of made 

 in flic ^^ soutli gallery of the Agricultural Hall'' 



