1 70 THE HAUNTS OF LIFE 



time, often many weeks ahead. While in fresh 

 water they feed very little, if at all. 



They need all their muscular energy, too, 

 for there are many obstacles to be overcome 

 on their way up the rivers, and the salmon gets 

 his name from his power of leaping. They 

 are said to be able to leap up falls as high as 

 10 feet, and their courage and persistence in 

 returning again and again to the charge after 

 failure has thus been described : " The lithe 

 body, less silvery than usual, shot out of the 

 water ; then followed a plucky rush amid the 

 bubbles ; then in seven cases out of ten the 

 fish was swept back before it had cleared the 

 second rung of the ladder. It was as exciting 

 as a race-course. The favourite cleared one 

 barrier after another, lost energy at the last, 

 and was swept back like a log, while another, 

 with less dash about him, cleared every one, 

 and shot ahead in the swift, smooth, sullen 

 water above the fall. There was pathos in the 

 passivity with which the unsuccessful swimmer 

 let himself be swirled back to the eddies at the 

 foot of the ladder. Like a spent horse, he 

 could no more, but one knew that he was set- 

 ting his teeth, so to speak, for the next rush." 



Arrived at the spawning-place a gravel 



