270 THE ANGLEE-NATUEALIST. 



That spawned fish improve greatly in condition before 

 they leave the fresh water there is no room to doubt, 

 although they are never really fit for the table until their 

 return from their sea-trip. Mr. Brown, in his excellent 

 little book, 'The Stormontfield Experiment on the Sal- 

 mon,' from which I have taken the liberty of extracting 

 the above table and much valuable information, instances 

 a case in point : 



" On the 4th of May, 1861, we hooked a fish on the 

 Stanley water, and, as the fishermen assured us the kelts 

 had all left the river, we were flattering ourselves with the 

 prospect of landing a fresh-run salmon. He fought well 

 for liberty, and twice did he make his appearance, and was 

 pronounced clean by the fisherman who had the gaff 

 extended, when his eye caught the glittering copper medal 

 attached to the tail. We ordered the gaff to be laid aside, 

 but had to give the fish another run before it could be 

 lifted out without injury. It turned out to be a male fish, 

 and had a copper medal fastened round his tail, on which 

 was stamped ' Atholl, No. 78/ He weighed 16 Ibs. ; and, 

 but from being a little lank at the tail, might have passed 

 muster for a clean fish (there were no maggots on his gills), 

 as the fisherman thought he was until we showed him the 



mere pot fisher having killed eleven fish in one of these small rivers, 

 every one of them, I will venture to say, spent fish. GEORGE MO- 

 RANT, Jun. (Shirley House, Carrickmacross.)" 



It occasionally happens that the gills of the Salmon are wounded 

 by the hook, in which case the injury invariably proves fatal. This 

 also holds good in regard to other species of fish. 



