THE SALMON. 169 



conceive how difficult a capture and how valuable a 

 prize they sometimes prove. 



In relation to the size of salmon, we may here 

 observe that Pennant makes mention of one which 

 weighed 74 pounds ; and although we now regard, 

 with something akin to wonder, a fish which weighs 

 even the half of that amount, there is no doubt that 

 not many years ago, salmon of 40 pounds were 

 much more frequent than in these degenerate days. 

 The absence of salmon of the largest class from 

 many of our Scotch rivers, where they formerly 

 abounded, is in fact owing to the injudicious per- 

 fection of our fisheries, which occasions the constant 

 capture of the species in the state of gilse, or other 

 even earlier condition ; and the chances are, by 

 consequence, greatly against any individual escap- 

 ing the various dangers by which it is environed, 

 for such a succession of years as is likely to admit 

 of its attaining to its full dimensions. The destruc- 



O 



tion by poachers in the higher parts of the rivers, 

 of the large enfeebled Jcelts^ or fish which have com- 

 pleted their spawning operations, is also extremely 

 prejudicial ; for these individuals almost utterly 

 useless as food at the time alluded to would, if 

 allowed to descend to the salubrious sea, ere long 

 revisit their native streams, greatly increased in 

 size, and full of health and vigour. 



The season of 1835, was more than usually pro- 

 ductive of large salmon. One was killed weighing 

 above 50 pounds, at the mouth of the Leven in 

 Dumbartonshire. A notice appeared in the news- 

 papers of one that weighed 55 pounds. Mr. Yar- 

 p 



