112 BRITISH nSH AND FISnEHIES. 



their eggs till the middle of summer. The 

 warmth of the Avater may be an influencing 

 cause. " There are two rivers," says sir 

 William Jardine, " in Sutherlandshire, which 

 show this late and early running (of the 

 salmon) under peculiar circumstances. One, 

 the Oikel, borders the county, and springs 

 from a small alpine lake, perhaps about hall 

 a mile in breadth ; the other, the Shin, is a 

 tributary to the Oikel, joins it about five miles 

 from the mouth, but takes its rise from Loch 

 Shin, a large and deep extent of water, and 

 connected to a chain of other deep locks. 

 Early in the spring, all the salmon entering the 

 common mouth diverge at the junction, turn 

 up the Shin, and return as it were to their 

 own and warmer stream, while a very fev/ 

 keep the main course of the Oikel imtil a much 

 later period." * 



The vigour displayed by the salmon in 

 shooting up the most impetuous rapids is very 

 wonderful, nor do waterfalls or cascades daunt 

 them. Curving the body till the tail and head 

 meet, they give a lash with all their force to 

 the water, and spring up with amazing address. 

 Often they miss tlieir leap, and fall back into 

 the river, but it is only to wait for fresh 

 * Yarrell. 



