62 PAIRING OF SALMON. 



water-poaching have only to secrete themselves 

 and wait their approach. These retreats or sand 

 beds are called restoffs ; and if* the spearers can- 

 not otherwise hide themselves, they stick old furze 

 bushes and other things in the sand, behind which 

 they place themselves and wait their opportu- 

 nity. All the fish must make towards these 

 sand beds, which are always in shallow water, 

 for a certain degree of the sun's influence is 

 as necessary as the water to fructify the pea. 

 They can spawn nowhere but in these places. 

 At night a white board or painted stone is placed 

 at the bottom of the stream, and the fish, at- 

 tracted by lights, are drawn to the spots where 

 the boards or stones are placed j the opaque 

 body of the salmon, though in the dark, is easily 

 seen on the white board, and of course as easily 

 and fatally struck with the spear. Thus, taking 

 into consideration all the abominable contrivances 

 which are practised to exterminate this fish, the 

 wonder is that a single one should escape death, 

 and not that they should be so scarce and dear as 

 the public justly complain of finding them. 



It may be further alleged that if the impregna- 

 tion takes place after exclusion and not before, and 

 if they do not pair, the male would not follow the 

 female to her breeding haunts to assist in digging 

 the pit and preserving the pea ; but this, though 

 a probability, is no certain proof of the position, 

 because the attachment of all animals which pair is 

 actuated and governed by other considerations 



13 



