498 THE PHILOSOPHY 



It is found in feme of the rivers of France that empty them- 

 felves into the ocean*. Salmons are taken in the rivers of 

 Kamtfchatkaf, and appear as far north as Greenland. Sal- 

 mons live both in the ocean, and in frefli waters. For the 

 purpofe of depofiting their fpawn, they quit the fea in the 

 month of September, and afcend the rivers. So ftrong is 

 the iniiindt of migrating, that they prefs up the rivers with 

 amazing keennefs, and fcarccly any obflacle is fufficient to 

 interrupt their progrefs. They fpring, with great agility, 

 over cataracts of feveral feet in heighth. In their leaps, 

 they fpring ftraight up with a ftrong tremulous motion, and 

 do notj as has been vulgarly fuppofed, put their tails in their 

 mouths. When they find a place which they think proper 

 for depofiting their eggs, the male and female unite their 

 labours in forming a convenient receptacle for the fj^awn in 

 the fand, which is generally about eighteen inches deep. In 

 this hole the female depofits her eggs, and the mothers milt, 

 which they are iaid to cover carefully with their tails ; for, 

 after fpawning, their tails are deprived of fkin. The eggs, 

 when not difturbed by violent floods, lie buried in the fand 

 till the fpring, and they are hatched about the end of March. 

 The parents, however, after this important ofhce has been 

 performed, haften back to the fea, in order to cleanfe them- 

 felves, and to recover their ftrength. Toward the end of 

 March, the young fry begin to appear, and thcy gradually 

 increafe in lize till they acquire the length of four or five 

 inches, and are then called fmeltS) or /moiilts\. About the 

 beginning of May, all the conliderable rivers of Scotland are 

 full of falmon-fry. After this period, they migrate to 

 the Sea. About the middle of June, the earlieft of the fry 

 begin to appear again in the rivers. At that time they ar^ 



* Rondelct. de F'uviat. page 167. 

 f Hid. Kemtfchatka, page J43. 

 \ See an account of the Salmon Fifhery on the river Tweed, communicated 

 to Mr. Pennant by Mr. Potts, Frit Zool. vol. 3. page 241. 8vo. edit* 



