OPINIONS OF NATURALISTS. 181 



and in all likelihood, would have returned on it, to 

 the salt water, had I not thus intercepted them, for 

 as is well known with respect to the finnock of our 

 northern rivers, it is not a fish which at any time 

 roams far inland, neither is it one which ascends solely 

 for the purpose of spawning, seeing that it frequently 

 exhibits on its appearance in fresh water a remarkable 

 backwardness, if not deficiency, in its generative disposi- 

 tions. But of this I shall take notice at more length, 

 when I come to treat of it separately, as one of the 

 salmon species. 



Meanwhile, in reference to the marine food of sal- 

 mon, I may further, in confirmation of what I have 

 myself observed, quote the opinions of well-known 

 ichthyologists on the subject. Mr. Yarrell, in his 

 "History of British Fishes/' vol. ii., p. 17, observes 

 " That the salmon is a voracious feeder may be safely 

 inferred from the degree of perfection in the arrange- 

 ment of the teeth, and from its own habits, of which 

 proof will be adduced, as well as from the well-known 

 habits of the species more closely allied to it ; yet of 

 the many observers who have examined the stomach 

 of the salmon, to ascertain the exact nature of that 

 food which must constitute its principal support, few 

 have been able to satisfy themselves." 



He then goes on to quote the opinion of Dr. Knox, 

 and observes in allusion to it " That they occasionally 

 take other food, is well known." Faber, in his " Natural 

 History of the Fishes of Ireland," remarks, " The com- 

 mon salmon feeds on small fishes and various small ma- 

 rine animals." Dr. Fleming says, " Their favourite food 

 is the sand-eel," and I have myself taken the remains of 

 sand-launce from the stomach. Sir William Jardine 

 says, " In the north of Sutherland, a mode of fishing 



