SALMON. 15 



the same colour. When the scales were carefully taken off 

 with a knife, the obscure red spots became of a fine vermi- 

 lion, and were nineteen in number; and ten obscure oval 

 bars of a dusky bluish colour appeared, which crossed the 

 lateral line. In a young fry which has not acquired scales, 

 these bars are very distinct."" 



Whether the river be considered an early or a late river, 

 the descent of the fry is said to take place much about the 

 same time in all. It begins in March, and continues through 

 April and part of May. It rarely happens that any Salmon 

 fry are observed in the rivers late in June. The Smolt, or 

 young Salmon, is by the fishermen of some rivers called a 

 Laspring ; and various couplets refer to the fish, as well as to 

 the time and circumstances under which the descent is 

 made. 



The last spring floods that happen in May, 

 Carry the Salmon fry down to the sea. 



And again, 



The floods of May 

 Take the Smolts away. 



But the uncertainty of popular or provincial names is a 

 source of great perplexity to the naturalist. The Laspring 

 of some rivers is the young of the true Salmon ; but in 

 others, as I know from having had specimens sent me, the 

 Laspring is really only a Parr ; and it must also be recol- 

 lected that the fry of two other species at least descend 

 to the sea about the same time as those of the Salmon. 



The Salmon fry at first keep in the slack water by the 

 sides of the river ; after a time, as they become stronger, 

 they go more towards the mid-stream ; and when the water is 

 increased by rain, they move gradually down the river. On 

 meeting the tide, they remain for two or three days in that 

 part where the water becomes a little brackish from the mix- 



