THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. 



4 five years. We walked all day, generally in rain 

 ( and mist, such as mountains alone exhibit ; and 

 4 when I came down, I found that the age of my 

 * companion was seventy-five. I need not say that 

 4 the fox-hunting of which I speak is of a different 

 4 description from that of Melton, and of a purely 

 4 pedestrian nature/ 



When Dr. Hastings had finished the reading of 

 this letter, Mr. Hilary expressed his surprize that 

 so little should yet be known respecting the food of 

 the salmon. He said, that having had his attention 

 called to the fact, he had questioned some of the 

 London fishmongers on the subject, who all assured 

 him that amongst the numerous salmon they had 

 for many years been in the habit of examining, 

 they had never found, in any one instance, any 

 apparent food in their stomachs. Dr. Hastings, in 

 reply, said that this question had been very recently 

 cleared up. The gentleman he had already referred 

 to as his authority for what he had stated respect- 

 ing the rapid growth of salmon, had assured him 

 that he had repeatedly seen these fish, when either 

 first hooked, or taken in nets, discharge the con- 

 tents of their stomach in the same way that gulls 

 are known to do, and also woodcocks, snipes, and 

 other animals, when in a state of fear, or when their 

 lives have been in danger. This fact, Dr. Hastings 

 said, immediately cleared up the doubts which had 

 arisen resjwcting the food of salmon, and there ap- 



