THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 127 



into the sea, he becomes, from a Samlet not so big as a 

 Gudgeon, to be a Salmon, in as short a time as a gosling 

 becomes to be a goose. Much of this has been observed, by 

 tying a riband, or some known tape or thread, in the tail of 

 some young Salmons which had been taken in weirs as they 

 have swimmed towards the salt water, and then by taking a 

 part of them again with the known mark, at the same place, at 

 their return from the sea, which is usually about six months 

 after ; and the like experiment hath been tried upon young 

 swallows, who have, after six months' absence, been observed to 

 return to the same chimney, there to make their nests and 

 habitations for the summer following : which has inclined many 

 to think, that every Salmon usually returns to the same river 

 in which it was bred, as young pigeons taken out of the same 

 dovecot have also been observed to do. 



And you are yet to observe farther, that the he Salmon is 

 usually bigger than the Spawner : and that he is more kipper, 

 and less able to endure a winter in the fresh water than the she 

 is : yet she is, at that time of looking less kipper and better, as 

 watery and as bad meat. 



And yet you are to observe, that as there is no general rule 

 without an exception, so there are some few rivers in this 

 nation that have Trouts and Salmons in season in winter, as it 

 is certain there be in the river Wye in Monmouthshire, where 

 they be in season, as Camden observes, from September till 

 April.* But, my scholar, the observation of this and many 

 other things I must in manners omit, because they will prove 

 too large for our narrow compass of time, and, therefore, I shall 

 next fall upon my direction how to fish for this Salmon. 



And, for that : First you shall observe, that usually he 

 stays not long in a place, as Trouts will, but, as I said, covets 

 still to go nearer the spring-head ; f and that he does not, as 

 the Trout and many other fish, He near the water-side, or bank, 

 or roots of trees, but swims in the deep and broad parts of the 

 water, and usually in the middle and near the ground, and that 

 there you are to fish for him ; and that he is to be caught, as 

 the Trout is, with a Worm, a Minnow (which some call a Penk,) 

 or with a Fly. 



And you are to observe, that he is very seldom observed to 

 bite at a Minnow, yet sometimes he will, and not usually at 

 a Fly, but more usually at a Worm, and then most usually at a 

 Lob, or Garden Worm, which should be well scoured, that is to 



* In the River Lea, which rnns into the sea at the Core of Cork, Salmon 

 are likewise in season the v/hole year round, as I can myself testify, having 1 

 resided at Cork the greater part of a year. J. R. 



t The Salmon delights in large rapid rivers, especially such as have 

 pebbly, gravelly, and sometimes weedy bottoms. 



