ON THE PAIRING OF SALMON. 



THOSE who do not feel a particular interest in 

 pursuits of this sort, may, perhaps, think that this 

 is carrying the subject more into detail, than ne- 

 cessity requires ; but others, who are as partial to 

 it as I am, will agree that " even the veiy dregs 

 are sweet/* I should not, however, advance a 

 word more on this topic, if it did not give me an 

 opportunity of applying a few additional observa- 

 tions to the general question. It is material to 

 know, whether salmon pair or are polygamous; 

 inasmuch as, if they do pair, a very pernicious 

 habit is practised, in allowing only an unseasonable 

 female, or one very big with roe, to escape, and 

 reserving the male for destruction, because the one 

 cannot produce a progeny without the assistance 

 of the other. I have seen this practised many 

 times at the Totness fish-lock ; that is, I have seen 

 the female taken out and put into the fresh water 

 above, and I have seen the kipper knocked on the 

 head ; if they pair, this is a most ruinous practice, 

 and therefore it is very material to ascertain, if we 

 are able, whether they do pair or do not. 



No fact is mentioned by any naturalist no 

 experiment has ever been tried no series of 



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