THE SALMON FAMILY. 249 



CHAPTER X. 



In offering a few further observations on the general his- 

 tory of the true Salmon {Salmo salar), I have adopted the 

 sequence suggested by its natural habits, as likely to be 

 that most easily followed and most convenient for refer- 

 ence. Thus, commencing with the ascent of the fish in the 

 early spring and summer, its course will be briefly sketched 

 from the tidal wave up the river to the spawning-groimd, 

 and back again to the sea, — the gradual changes of colour 

 and condition being at the same time pointed out. Re- 

 turning then to the spawning-beds, where the ova should 

 be approaching the time of hatching, the growth and 

 habits of the young fry will be traced from the egg until 

 their migration to the salt water as Smolts, their subse- 

 quent return as Grilse, and, finally, as Salmon. 



Ascent of Salmon from the sea : fresh-eun fish. 



Sooner or later during the spring and summer months a 

 proportion at least of the Salmon in the bays and estuaries 

 of the coast make their way up the rivers for the purpose of 

 spawning — their general colouring at this period being a 

 brilliant silvery white, merging into a bluish black with a few 

 dark spots on the upper part of the body and head. When 

 first ascending from the sea, Salmon are termed " fresh- 



M 5 



