THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



127 



the sea, he becomes from a samlet, not so big as a gudgeon, to 

 be a sahnon, in as short a time as a gosling becomes to be a 

 goose. Much of this has been observed by tying a ribbon, or 

 some known tape or thread, in the tail of some young salmons, 

 which have been taken in wears as thev have swimmed towards 

 the salt water, and then by taking a part of them again with the 

 known mark at the same place at their return from the sea, which 

 is usually about six months after ; and the like experiment hath 

 been tried upon young swallows, who have, after six months' ab- 

 sence, been observed to return to the same cliimney, there to 

 make their nests and habitations for the summer followins: ; 

 which has inclined many to think, that every salmon usually 

 returns to the same river in which it was bred,* as young pigeons 

 taken out of the same dove-cote have also been observed to do. 



And you are yet to observe further, that the he-salmon is usu- 

 ally bigger than the spawner, and that he is more kipper, and 

 less able to endure a winter in the fresh water, than the she is ; 

 yet she is, at that time of looking less kipper and better, as wa- 

 tery, and as bad meat. 



And yet you are to observe, that as there is no general rule 

 without an exception, so there are some few rivers in this nation, 

 that have trouts and salmons in season in winter ; as it is certain 

 there be in the river Wye in Monmouthshire, where they be in 

 season, as Camden observes, from September till April. But, 

 my Scholar, the observation of this and many other things, I 

 must in manners omit, because they will prove too large for our 

 narrow compass o^ tim > ; and therefore I shall next fall upon 

 my directions how to fish for this Salmon. 



• This is confirmed by more recent experiments, 

 they do not go far out at sea. — Am Ed. 



It is probable that 



