THE SALMON". dja 



J3iiaie unite ui digging a pit of eighteen inches deep, into 

 which the t'ormer ejedts his fmelt, and the latter her 

 "fpawn : The place is cAre fully covered up with their 

 tails, which at that period are worn bare. In this flate, 

 the fpawn lies buried from December till Spring, if not 

 .diiturbed by violent floods ; while, in the mean time, the 

 parent filhes halfen back, to purify and ftrengthen them- 

 felves in the fea ; for, after fpawning, they are lean and 

 flabby. It is when they firft leave the fea that they are 

 plump and vigorous ; and fuch as are in that condition 

 have a number of infedls adhering to them above the 

 gills *. 



About the latter end of March, the ova begin to ex- 

 clude the young falmon, which are then refufcitated, and 

 fwarm in numbers, of which it is diiKciilt to form any 

 idea. They are then termed fry in Scotla?id, and fmelts 

 in the fouth of the ifland ; and they remain in the frelh 

 Tvater till the arrival of a flood, by which they are fwept 

 down into the fea. In June, the young falmon begin to 

 appear again in the rivers, in dropping fingle fiih : there 

 they increafe with amazing rapidity in fize ; for in June, 

 when they appear lirtl: in the rivers, they are only about 

 a foot or fourteen inches in length ; and in >\uguil foais 

 are feen eight and nine pounds. 



The quick growth of the faluon is by no means oc- 

 cafioned by the voracitj^ of thefe filli 5 for all the filher- 

 men agree, that no food is ever found in their ftomach. 

 J*erhaps this may be owing to a temporary negledl of 

 food about the feafon of fpawning or fecundation, as ii 

 l^he cafe with the fea-lions. It is well known that the 

 I i a sngUy 



** The Iern«3s Salmcnex, Lin. Syd, 



