SALMON. 7 



spawn and fry of various fresh- water fishes. In 

 the sea its food is more varied and abundant. 

 Salmon are invariably found in the proximity of 

 shrimp - grounds, and they devour enormous 

 quantities of sand-eels. That, however, upon 

 which they most depend for sustenance is the 

 myriad fry of the coarser sea-fish. Of course, 

 it is difficult to follow the fish in its migrations 

 in salt water ; but, from several sources, hints 

 may be had of its wanderings. Salmon seem 

 to swim in the sea in comparatively small droves, 

 probably of from twenty to a hundred ; and it 

 is certain that they are much given to hugging 

 the coast-line. They stay long on banks or in 

 channels, where favourite food is to be had, and 

 are only driven off by receding tides. In spring 

 and summer they do not inhabit deep water, 

 but keep more to the banks, usually in only a 

 few fathoms of water. At this time the sand- 

 launce is much fed upon, as is the sea-urchin 

 in its earlier stages. Mr. Huxley asserts and 

 his assertion stands almost alone that the 

 salmon's food chiefly consists of a numerous 

 class of small creatures (entomostracous Crustacea) 

 found in semi-solid masses upon the surface of 

 deep water ; in short, that the salmon swims in 

 a species of animal soup, in which it has merely 

 to open its mouth and swallow what enters it. 



