Class IV. COMMON SALMON. 393 



are taken. We were lately informed, that in 

 the year 1760 about three hundred and twenty 

 tons were taken in the Cranna fishery. 



The salmon are cured in this manner : they 

 are first split, and rubbed with fine salt; and 

 after lying in pickle in great tubs, or reservoirs, 

 for six weeks, are packed up with layers of 

 coarse brown Spanish salt in casks, six of which 

 make a ton. These are exported to Leghorn 

 and Venice at the price of twelve or thirteen 

 pounds per ton, but formerly of from sixteen to 

 twenty-four pounds each. 



The salmon is a fish so generally known, that Descrip- 

 a very brief description will serve. The largest 

 we ever heard of weighed seventy-four pounds. 

 The color of the back and sides are grey, some- 

 times spotted with black, sometimes plain : the 

 covers of the gills are subject to the same vari- 

 ety ; the belly silvery ; the nose sharp pointed ; 

 the end of the under jaw in the males often 

 turns up in form of a hook ; sometimes this 

 curvature is very considerable ; it is said that 

 they lose this hook when they return to the sea ; 

 the teeth are lodged in the jaws and on the 

 tongue, and are slender, but very sharp ; the 

 tail is a little forked. 



