PISHES. 



329 



saw a violent contest between two male salmon which lasted the 

 whole day; and Mr. R. Buist, Superintendent of Fisheries, in- 

 forms me that he has often watched from the bridge at Perth the 

 males driving away their rivals, whilst the females were spawn- 



Fig. 27. Head of male common salmon (Salmo salar) during the 

 breeding-season. 



[Tiiis drawing, as well as aJl the others in the present chapter, have 

 been executed by the well-known artist, Mr. G. Ford, from specimens 

 in the British Museum, under the kind superintendence of Dr. Gun- 

 ther.] 



ing. The males "are constantly fighting and tearing each other 

 "on the spawning-beds, and many so injure each other as to 

 "cause the death of numbers, many being seen swimming near 

 "the banks of the river in a state of exhaustion, and apparently 



