AND FISHING. 35 



about three or four ounces, the morth and 

 sprod about three ounces each, the smelts 

 return in seven weeks, and weigh about twelve 

 pounds, the morths in nine weeks, and weigh 

 about two pounds, the sprods about the same 

 time, and weigh three quarters of a pound. 

 The gentleman who rented the fishery at the 

 time gave the accounts ; they were known by 

 a wire passed through some of their back fins, 

 by the fishermen, on going out. Gent. Mag. 



A salmon taken out on the 7th of March, in 

 the river Mersey, weighed seven pounds ; being 

 marked with scissars on the back fins and tail, 

 it was again turned into the river, and being 

 retaken on the 7th March of the following year, 

 it was found to weigh seventeen pounds. 



Gent. Mag. vol. Ixxxviii. p. 461. 



Salmon grows very fast ; it is now ascer- 

 tained that grilse, or young salmon, of from two 

 and a half to three pounds weight, have been 

 sent to the London markets in the month of 

 May, the spawn from which they came having 

 only been deposited in the preceding October or 

 November, and the overtaking three months of 

 the time to quicken. It has also been ascer- 

 tained by experiment, that a grilse which weighed 

 six pounds, in February, after spawning, has, 



