54 PAIRING OF SALMON. 



analogical reasoning has been attempted, to decide 

 this point either one way or the other : but the 

 opinion that they do pair, rests merely upon general 

 assertion and general belief. I do not profess my- 

 self able to determine this question; but I may be 

 the means of inducing others to attempt it. We 

 want facts, ascertained by experiments ; and as far 

 as experiments can avail, they should be tried. 

 In the Encyclopaedias we are told, that after the 

 milter has done his natural office, the fish hasten 

 to the sea before winter, " both the milter and the 

 spawner." Sturt says, the male and female join 

 in the selection of a place to deposit their young, 

 but this hardly comes up to the idea of pairing : it 

 however, induces an opinion that they do pair ; 

 and there is evidence, notwithstanding what Gold- 

 smith says, whose authority, as a naturalist, I 

 admit not to be conclusive, that such natural 

 office is performed after exclusion of the ovaria. 

 Therefore, if they pair, nothing can be more inju- 

 jurious to the fisheries, than to kill the male, and 

 to leave the poor female to propagate by her own 

 means. It is consequently, a most important point 

 to establish. 



There seems to be no rule in nature, by which we 

 can comprehend why some animals should pair, and 

 why others should not. Without taking any notice of 

 the human species, we will just examine the nature 

 of quadrupeds and birds on their individual at- 

 tachments to each other. With regard to the former, 

 I think it is said, that the roebuck pairs, as does 





