THE SALMON FISHER. 4 



omnivorous at some seasons. But in spring their 

 chief article of diet and main subsistence are the 

 annelids which swarm in from the ocean to breed in 

 the beach-flats. The breeding season of these sand- 

 worms is in April, and later, according to tempera- 

 ture and latitude, and at that time the seashores lit- 

 erally swarm with them, either swimming free like 

 eels in great masses, or housed in burrows. Wher- 

 ever there is a flat of mixed mud and sand they are 

 sure to be found in great quantities, but they are 

 not common on beaches of clear sand. Some kinds 

 are very numerous under rocks between tides, living 

 in tough, durable tubes which they construct for 

 themselves. Indeed, all the annelids constitute a 

 most important element in the diet of fishes, not 

 only of nomadic and littoral species, but of those 

 which constantly root for them in their beds, like 

 the tautog, scup, haddock, etc., wherefore, it will be 

 readily understood that salmon hug the shore in 

 early spring because they are after these sandworms, 

 as well as small fry of all sorts, which they follow 

 into the estuaries, and even into the rivers. They 

 enter the rivers in spring because they follow their 



