THE SALMON. 263 



BULL TROUT have the most hardy temperament, 

 being more vigorous than the salmon, and owing 

 to this, generally succeed in reaching and occupying 

 the best and most favourable spawning beds, before 

 the salmon put in an appearance. 



With the SALMON we have dealt under the heading 

 of " Habits and Haunts of Fish." From a piscatory 

 point of view, it is a truly noble fish, and affords 

 splendid sport, as every angler will corroborate who 

 has had the pleasure of landing a good lively fish, 

 after a hard and heavy fight. Upon salmon fishing as 

 a sport much might be written : the salmon fisher is a 

 sportsman of an almost distinct species from ordinary 

 anglers. The superiority of this game fascinates its 

 followers, and prompts them to ignore, not only all 

 other and inferior branches of the gentle craft, but by 

 no means infrequently other field sports and national 

 diversions for the pursuit of the salmon when in 

 season. The true sportsman, however, pursues his 

 peculiar vocation arduously, zealously, and spiritedly, 

 and whether it be Nimrod, ramrod, or fishrod, for the 

 time being his whole soul is thrown into the pursuit. 

 Salmon fishers now wander far-a-field for pastures 

 new ; some enthusiastic sportsmen make the pursuit 

 of the salmon their one object in life, roaming over the 

 vast area of the European and American continents, 

 and of late years the boundaries of these have been 

 overstepped, since the virgin waters of the antipodes 

 have proved so fertile. The popularity of salmon 

 fishing has increased something like a hundred per 

 cent, during the last half-century. Since the opening 



