OBSERVATIONS OF THE SALMON 



His tail takes in his mouth, and bending like a bow 

 That 's to full compass drawn, aloft himself doth throw, 

 Then springing at his height, as doth a little wand, 

 That bended end to end, and started from man's hand, 

 Far off itself doth cast ; so, does the Salmon vault, 

 And if at first he fail, his second Summersault 

 He instantly essays : and from his nimble ring, 

 Still yerking, never leaves until himself he fling 

 Above the opposing stream. 



This Michael Drayton tells you, of this leap or summersault 

 of the Salmon. 



And next I shall tell you, that it is observed by Gesner 

 and others, that there is no better Salmon than in England : 

 and that though some of our northern countries have as fat 

 and as large as the river Thames, yet none are of so excellent 

 a taste. 



And as I have told you that Sir Francis Bacon observes, 

 the age of a Salmon exceeds not ten years, so let me next tell 

 you, that his growth is very sudden : it is said, that after he is 

 got into the sea, he becomes from a Samlet, not so big as a 

 Gudgeon, to be a Salmon, 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 they 

 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' absence, been observed 

 to return to the same chimney, there to make their nests and 

 habitations for the Summer following : 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 

 usually bigger than the Spawner, and that he is more kipper, 

 and less able to endure a Winter in the fresh-water, than she 

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

 watery, and as bad meat. 



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



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