CLASS y. PISCES: ORDER 3. TELEOSTEA. 



4:61 



THE SALMON. 



As we have said, the sea is the home of the salmon, and the North Athmtic liis ordinary 

 ranoje, but in spring he enters the estuaries of our rivers, where he gathers in great niidtitudes, 

 and remains for some weeks, ascending and descending with the ebb and flow of the tide. At 



this period they are taken in 

 large numbers in our northern 

 streams, especially in the Penob- 

 scot, and even tjxrther east, and 

 being packed in ice are sent to 

 various distant markets. In July 

 and August on this continent, 

 but three months later in Europe, 

 they enter the fresh water, and 

 begin to make their ascent for 

 the purpose of spawning. At this period they are in their highest beauty and perfection. In order 

 to insure the hatching of the spawn of this class of fishes, it is necessary that the water should 

 be aerated, or highly charged with oxygen. A powerful instinct teaches them to ascend up 

 the rivers where the water is broken by currents and rapids, and to which, by mingling with 

 the atmosphere, purity and vitality have been imparted. Thei-e may be, and doubtless are, 

 other objects in the economy of nature to be attained by this wonderful provision. In these 

 remote and solitary places, aAvay from the crowded thoroughfares of crabs, lobsters, clams, 

 oysters, and swimming fishes of every form and hue, all greedy of spoil, their eggs may have 

 some chance of remaining to be hatched. Nay, there is oven a profounder wisdom behind this 

 instinct of the salmon and its kindred, for by means of it the inland country along the borders 

 of the great rivers, and the hills and slopes and even the mountains, threaded by a thousand rills, 

 far up and away from the salt sea, are provided with a never-ceasing supply of the daintiest of 

 food for man, bird, and beast, and that without plowing or planting. 



To the salmon this instinct is imparted in a degree suited to the energy and daring of its char- 

 acter. In seeking to reach the small streams near the sources of rivers, it dashes up swift cur- 

 rents, shoots over waterfalls, leaps dams, and in fact surmounts barriers which might seem im- 

 passable. In these eftbrts it sometimes makes a clear leap of fourteen feet. If unsuccessful, it 

 tries again and again ; one has been known to repeat its leaps for twenty times, at intervals of 

 about two minutes : instances are on record in which these creatures have been dashed on the 

 rocks and killed by the cataracts while attempting to scale them. 



When at last arrived at the place of spawning, a pair of these fishes are seen to make a furrow 

 by working up the gravel with their noses, rather against the stream, for a salmon, as well as 

 every other fish, is incapable of working with his head down stream, for the water tlius going to 

 his gills the wrong way, drowns him. When the furrow is made the male and female retire to a 

 little distance, one to the one side and the other to the other side of the furroAv ; they then throw 

 themselves on their sides, again come together, and rubbing against each other, both shed their 

 spawn into the furrow at the same time. This process is not completed at once ; it requires 

 eight to twelve days for them to lay all their spawn. When they have done, they betake them- 

 selves to the streams and descend to the sea, usually remaining several weeks in the brackish 

 waters, as they did before ascending. 



Such are the general habits of these curious and interesting fishes. Many of them reach the 

 lakes which are the sources of the rivers they ascend, and here some of tlieni remain and breed. 

 They pass up the St. Lawrence into Lake Ontario, and even in some instances into Seneca and 

 Cayuga Lakes. Similar instances occur in other localities, as well in America as Europe. No 

 water is too remote for them if there is a stream which leads to it. At various periods the 

 salmon undergoes considerable changes, and names significant of these conditions are applied. 

 Tlie young of the first year is called Pink, of the second, Smolt, of the second autumn. Pearl or 

 Grisle. After the spawning both male and female are lean, lank, and unfit for food ; at this time 

 the former is called a Kipper, and the latter a Baf/r/it ; both are denominated Kilts. 



It is as a game fish that the salmon has attained that celebrity which ranks it with the wild 

 Vol. II,— 59 



