NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 17 



sight to see the poor creature writhing in its ago- 

 nies. I turned from it with disgust, deploring 

 that such a barbarous practice should continue, 

 which, for one unwholesome fish, was the means of 

 destroying so many thousands, that taken in their 

 proper season, would be food to the poor, and a de- 

 licacy to the opulent. 



The river Tweed, where is said to be the largest 

 fishery in the kingdom, is supposed to yield 300,000 

 salmon annually, that is, communibus annis. This 

 number is about one half the produce of one sal- 

 mon, and the thirtieth part of that of a single cod- 

 fish. Hence, it is highly probable, that the same 

 kind of work is carried on in this river, as is practised 

 in the rivers in Devonshire. There is a note in 

 " Daniel's Rural Sports/' under the title Salmon, 

 which says, that there is a river in Kamtschatka, 

 where salmon are in such abundance in the sea- 

 son when they return from the sea to the rivers, 

 as absolutely to choak the river, and cause the 

 water to overflow its banks. And there is no 

 doubt, but that they would be plentiful enough 

 here, if the obstacles already enumerated were re- 

 moved. However, considering all the circum- 

 stances, the circumventions and contrivances that 

 are adopted to annihilate the species, it is really 

 surprising, that there should be a single one in ex- 

 istence. 



Most animals, whether for the profit, or the 

 pastime of mankind, are allowed some sea- 

 sonable resting time for increase; but the sal- 



c 



