164 THE COMMON SALMON. 



always more or less infested with a kind of insect, 

 called the salmon-louse * ; when these are numerous 

 the fish are esteemed in high season. Very soon after 

 the Salmon have left the sea the insects die and 

 drop off. 



After the fish have become lean at the spawning 

 time, on their return to the sea they acquire their 

 proper bulk in a very little while ; having been 

 known to be considerably more than double their 

 weight in about six weeks. — Their food consists of 

 the smaller fishes, insects, and worms ; for all these 

 are used with success as baits, by the anglers for 

 Salmon. 



The principal fisheries in Europe are in the rivers ; 

 or on the sea-coasts adjoining to the large rivers of 

 England, Scotland, and Ireland. The chief English 

 rivers for them are the Tyne, the Trent, the Severn, 

 and the Thames. They are sometimes taken in nets ; 

 and sometimes by means of locks or weirs with iron 

 or wooden grates, so placed in an angle that, being 

 impelled by any force in a direction contrary to that 

 of the stream, they open, let the fish (or whatever 

 else pushes against them) through, and again by the 

 force of the water or their own weight close and pre- 

 vent their return. Salmon are also killed in still wa- 

 ter, by means of a spear with several prongs, which 

 the fishermen use with surprising dexterity. When 

 this is used in the night, a candle and lantern, or a 

 wisp of straw set on fire, is carried along, to the light 

 of which the fLh collect. 



* Lernaa Salmonea of Linnaeus, 



