SALMON FISHING. 



OUTLINE OF " SALMON HISTORY" AND 

 NOMENCLATURE. 



A HISTORY of the Salmon, in the proper sense 

 of the term, is beyond the scope of this work, 

 and I have moreover already dealt with the sub- 

 ject in detail in the "Angler-Naturalist" A few 

 facts, however, which I shall put as briefly as pos- 

 sible, are desirable, if only to enable the fisherman 

 to know what Salmon he may put into his creel 

 and what he ought to return to the river. The 

 general terms used in Salmon nomenclature may 

 also perhaps be useful. 



The young of a Salmon remains one, two, or 

 three years in the river before migrating to the 

 sea : during this period it is a " parr." Just 

 before migrating it changes its golden and brown 

 coat for a silver one, and becomes a " smolt," at 

 which time it weighs from one to two ounces. 

 The smolt returns from the sea a "grilse," com- 

 monly in from five to ten weeks, but sometimes 

 more, and having increased in weight from two 

 to ten pounds. Sometimes, however, the smolt 

 does not come, back as a grilse, but returns in 



