172 SOUTH COUNTRY TROUT STREAMS 



named were to be chiefly found in the Old River), 

 flounders of all sizes up to 3 and 4 lbs. each, minnows, 

 lampreys and cray-fish. Salmon and salmon-peel enter 

 both rivers every month in the year, and there remain, 

 if not caught, until their spawning time. The author 

 has known some of them spawn when the water has been 

 thick, as early as the middle of October. These are 

 termed by him forward fish. Some stop until November 

 and December, and as late as the latter end of February. 

 The earlier they spawn the earlier they are in season the 

 next spring. Those that spawn in October are as good 

 the next March as those which spawn in December are 

 in May, and so on. After they have spawned they 

 return to the sea, and where they roam to and how far I 

 know not ; but this I know, that they return to the same 

 spot, or nearly so, when their spawning time comes again. 

 Now it is said that a salmon-peel of a pound weight will, 

 in the space of twelve months become of 6 lbs. 1 his I 

 doubt much by reason of the following experiments. In 

 the month of November, I caught twelve salmon-peel of 

 about I lb. each. I took six of them and cut off one 

 half the tail of each. I put a piece of copper wire about 

 the size of a small ring through the nose of each of the 

 other six, and turned them adrift in the water I had 

 taken them from. In the following November I went 

 to see if they were there, and found two whose tails were 

 cut, and three with the rings in their noses. As near as 

 I could judge they did not each weigh more than 2^ lbs. 

 This is proof also of what I have stated about the fish 

 returning to the same spots. It may be asked. Why 

 were not the twelve that were put in there ? The 

 answer is that they might have been preyed upon 

 by other fish, or have been caught, or have died. I 

 can say nought about other rivers in this country or 

 elsewhere : I form my opinion from the Titchfield 

 rivers. 



" Salmon and salmon-peel will rise at artificial flies in the 

 spring and during the summer months. I never myself 

 caught any in this manner, but before Hammonds Bridge, 

 as far as the Flood Hatches, have seen gentlemen catch 

 them of the weight of 6 and 7 lbs., and no larger. One 

 of these gentlemen said he had twice caught a larger 



