THE SALMON. 187 



louse; " and that may have led to the belief that it 

 feeds upon the salmon, or is annoying to it. But the 

 remarkably high condition and vigour of the salmon 

 are proofs that this adhering animal cannot be a very 

 great annoyance, or very destructive in its ravages, 

 if it be a ravager at all. At all events, if the salmon 

 be necessary for its existence, the sea is obviously 

 more so ; for it shrinks and drops off almost imme- 

 diately after the fish has entered into fresh, or even 

 into weak brackish water. The more that this para- 

 site is found upon the fish, the more exquisite the 

 flavour; and those who have not tasted it, can form 

 no idea of the richness of a sea salmon, instantly out 

 of the water, which has not been injured either by 

 its own struggles or by being handled. The flakes 

 are firm, brilliant in colour, and delicious ; and sauce 

 is superfluous, any further than a little of the liquor 

 in which the fish has been boiled. There is a rich 

 curdy matter between the flakes which dissolves in 

 the liquor and thickens it to the consistency of cream ; 

 and there is a flavour, and even a perfume about the 

 whole, which cookery would find it very difficult to 

 imitate. But this exquisite richness of the salmon, 

 like the aroma of some of the more delicious fruits, 

 cannot be transported. The salmon that are taken 

 with it, lose it when they are carried, even in boxes 

 of ice ; and those which pass only a small number 

 of miles up the fresh water lose it also. So striking 

 is the difference, that those who are accustomed to 

 taste the salmon caught in the estuary of the Tay, to 

 seaward of Broughty Ferry, where the banks and 

 shallows are of pure sand, and the water is nearly as 



