34 ANECDOTES OF FISHES 



seeing a fish rise, tell with accuracy the state of 

 his condition. Wild Sports of the West. 



The salmon fishery in New Caledonia com- 

 mences about the middle of July, and ceases in 

 October, this is a busy period for the natives ; 

 their method of catching the salmon is ingenious, 

 as practised by the natives of the Columbia river. 

 A certain part of the river is enclosed by stakes 

 about twelve feet high, and extended about thirty 

 feet from the shore ; a netting of rods is attached 

 to the stakes, to prevent the salmon running 

 through ; a conical machine, called a vorveau, is 

 next formed, about eighteen feet long and five 

 broad, and is made of rods about one inch and a 

 quarter asunder, and lashed to hoops with what- 

 taps, a tough fibrous root, used in sewing bark to 

 the canoes, one end is formed like a funnel to 

 admit the fish, two smaller machines of equal 

 length are joined to it, they are raised a little 

 out of the water, and the salmon, in their ascent, 

 leap into the boot, or broad part of it, and fall 

 into the space, where they are easily killed with 

 spears ; when abundant, the natives take eight 

 or nine hundred daily. 



Cox's Columbia, vol. ii. p. 321. 



Growth. The salmon smelts, sprods, and 

 morths, go down the river at Salisbury the 

 beginning of May ; the salmon smelts weigh 



