SALMON FISHERY. 117 



nefs, they grow fat again, and become excellent. 

 Some falmon may remain the whole winter in deep 

 rivers, as Camden tells us ; but if the fifhermen 

 did not lay mares for them, and would allow them 

 a free regrefs, the greateft part, if not all, would 

 return to the fea to fearch for deep water, and to 

 proteft themfelves from frofts. After fix months, 

 they would return again into the frefli water. 

 What makes this conje&ure probable is, that, as 

 every filherman knows, feveral kinds of fifli come 

 up near the coafls in fpring and fummer, and, on 

 winter's coming on, retire again into deep bottoms. 

 Some falmon depofit their eggs in the fea ; and 

 thefe are, perhaps, they, which are lean and lick, 

 when they come into the rivers. 



Of the quality of Salmon, according to the places 

 where they are taken. 



Salmon are efteemed, when the head is fmall 

 proportionably to the body, which ought to be 

 large and round, and the fcales of a brilliant colour, 

 which is looked upon as a mark of good health ; 

 for thofe that have the fpawning ficknefs, arc 

 faded, and the fpots are lefs marked. According 

 to M. Mafuelle of Dunkirk, falmon fpawn in 

 fre(h water from September to December, during 

 which time they are reputed bad ; but, as the 

 greatefl part of them have not fpawned when they 

 come into the rivers, almoft all thofe, that are 

 taken at the mouths of rivers, are good in every 



feafon. 



