SALMON. 3 



spawning-beds, though why it should be so is 

 not definitely known. The " redds " are selected 

 where the river is clearest and purest where 

 there is bright gravel and an absence of sedi- 

 ment. As the she-fish settles to spawning, she 

 scoops out a hole in the sheltering gravel, and is 

 closely attended by her mate. He indulges in 

 many beautiful evolutions, and guards her against 

 every enemy. When spawning is concluded, it 

 is found that she has nearly a thousand eggs for 

 every pound of her live weight. Take a handful 

 of these pearly pink eggs, and examine them. 

 Although delicate in appearance, they are not 

 only capable of standing great pressure, but 

 are so elastic, that if one be thrown down 

 it will rebound like an indiarubber ball. Once 

 the eggs are hatched, the fry afford delicate 

 morsels to a whole host of aquatic creatures 

 birds, insects, and fishes themselves. When the 

 fry attain to the "smelt" stage, they have an 

 equally hard time of it, and the number of their 

 enemies is hardly to be reckoned. 



Salmon are local in their haunts and habits, 

 and on a fai/ourite "redd" numbers of fish are 

 found. This hardly conduces to success, for when 

 the beds are full of fish they are routed over and 

 over until much spawn is spoiled ; and it is when 

 salmon are abundant and lie closely that the 



B 2 



