THE SALMON. 195 



his natural office, and then hide it most cunningly, and cover 

 it over with gravel and stones, and then leave it to that 

 Creator's protection, who, by a gentle heat which He infuses 

 into that cold element, makes it brood and beget life in the 

 spawn, and to become samlets early in the spring next fol- 

 lowing. 



The salmons having spent their appointed time, and done 

 this natural duty in the fresh waters, they then haste to the 

 sea -before winter, both the melter and spawner ; but if they 

 be stopped by flood-gates or weirs or lost in the fresh waters, 

 then those so left behind by degrees grow sick, and lean, and 

 unseasonable, and kipper; that is to say, have bony gristles 

 grow out of their lower chaps, not unlike a hawk's beak, 

 which hinders their feeding; and in time such fish, so left 

 behind, pine away and die. It is observed, that he may live 

 thus one year from the sea ; but he then grows insipid and 

 tasteless, and loses both his blood and strength, and pines 

 and dies the second year. And it is noted, that those little 

 salmons called skeggers, which abound in many rivers relat- 

 ing to the sea, are bred by such sick salmons that might not 

 go to the sea; and that though they abound, yet they never 

 thrive to any considerable bigness. 



But if the old salmon gets to the sea, then that gristle, 

 which shews him to be kipper, wears away, or is cast off, as 

 the eagle is said to cast his bill ; and he recovers his strength, 

 and comes next summer to the same river, if it be possible, 

 to enjoy the former pleasures that there possessed him ; for, 

 as one has wittily observed, he has, like some persons of 

 |honour and riches, which have both their winter and summer 

 |houses, the fresh rivers for summer, and the salt water for 

 '.winter, to spend his life in ; which is not, as Sir Francis 



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