OF THE SALMON. 19 



then the female leaves the bed, and proceeds down 

 stream in search of another, which she invariably 

 finds at least she often does, although she has, at 

 times, been seen returning with a trout when nothing 

 larger could be got. When the pair first ascend on 

 to the shallow, they can be seen moving about from 

 place to place, doubtless selecting the exact spot 

 whereon to commence operations, and when that is 

 fully agreed on, the first work is to dig a hole among 

 the gravel, for it is only on solid banks, and not among 

 shifting gravel, that they deposit the seed. This 

 hole is dug by the fish falling down a few yards 

 below the selected spot, and, with a run upward, 

 forcing their heads in among the gravel, and by that 

 means part of the stones and sand are removed, and 

 the current of the stream assists in carrying it down- 

 ward. This process is continued by both fish alter- 

 nately, until the hole is deep enough to receive the 

 first part of the seed. These holes vary from nine 

 to eighteen inches in depth, according to the hard or 

 soft bank they are formed in ; but the hole being of 

 sufficient depth, the female approaches and deposits 

 the first ripe part of the ova. As soon as that is done, 

 the male immediately impregnates them with the 

 milt. A careful observer can see both the ova and 

 milt falling into the bed, and as soon as it is fairly 

 settled in the bottom (which is in course of a few 

 minutes), the fish again begin to dig up against the 

 stream not across, or down stream, as some sup- 

 pose, and with the assistance of the water, the new 

 removed part of the gravel covers the seed that has 

 been laid. As soon as another part of the bed is deep 

 enough, they go through the same process of spawn- 

 ing, and continue digging, spawning, and covering, 

 until the whole seed is deposited. The works of 

 creation are beautifully displayed in the breeding of, 

 c 2 



