THE SALMON TROUT. 139 



The Salmon Trout. 



The salmon trout bears so strong a resemblance to the salmon, 

 that many persons have supposed the latter to be merely the young 

 of the latter fish ; yet it is now clearly established that they are a 

 distinct species. The salmon trout is a much smaller fish than a 

 salmon, though Mr. Yarrell mentions that he had seen a female 

 salmon trout that weighed 17 Ibs. ; but then salmon have been 

 known to weigh upwards of 70 Ibs., and salmon of 40 or 50 Ibs. 

 have often been taken, though it must be admitted they are now 

 less frequently to be met with of that size than formerly, the days 

 of so many being prematurely cut short by the unceasing war 

 so constantly waged against them. The same remarks indeed 

 are applicable to the salmon trout, which being even a more 

 general fish than the salmon, striving to force his way up every 

 brook and rivulet that discharges itself into the salt water ; and 

 here nets of every kind and description are ever at work, so that 

 the only wonder seems to be how any can give their enemies the 

 slip, and get into the fresh water at all : but which few have the 

 fortune to do till the autumn floods have raised the waters above 

 the bulk of the ordinary summer level. The first fish usually 

 attempt to ascend such fresh waters as are large enough to receive 

 them about the middle of May ; these are generally the largest 

 fish, being in fact those that having returned to the sea to recruit 

 their health after spawning, are again desirous of visiting the fresh 

 waters. The late arrivals which usually average about a pound 

 each, are the fry that descended but a few months before, which 

 have already attained that size, and which also will, unless their 

 days are prematurely cut short, also deposit their spawn before 

 the following spring. 



The young usually make their first appearance about the latter 

 end of February or the early part of March ; increasing in bulk so 

 very rapidly, that by the middle of April, under the title of salmon 

 smolts, they are considered to afford by no means bad sport to the 

 fly-fisher. I consider however that where fair play is used to sea- 



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