Prorecr Fisn at Spawntne-riMers. 371 
course of existence until it is cooked, or dies of old age, or of 
wounds and weakness from incessant fighting at the breed- 
ing-time. It seeks the river every year, as is supposed, though 
this is but assumption, which it is almost impossible to prove, 
and whether it breeds every year or only at intervals it is 
hard to say. The general creed, however, is, that it does 
breed every year, and all that it requires from man is a little 
reasonable forbearance, and better protection at the breeding 
season until it again reaches the sea; and ifit is able to reach 
the higher ranges of spawning-beds, it will speedily crowd 
ow rivers with delicious food, and the means of healthful and 
magnificent sport. In these respects the capacity of Amer- 
ican rivers is second to that of none in the world. Our riy- 
ers ought to swarm with salmon; and when we hear of riv- 
ers in England, ridiculously small by comparison with our 
own, yielding their $100,000 a year, and enormous revenues 
besides, do we not feel it to be a sin and a shame that such 
splendid capabilities as ours should he suffered to be behind 
them, and to fall into neglect and disuse, and that such im- 
portant resources should be lost to the country and to the 
consumers throughout the Union? Tf an American wants 
salmon-fishing, he must go either to Canada or Scotland for 
it, and this is disgraceful. We have many good coast and 
estuary fishes, but none equal to the salmon in all respects. 
Is there any reason why we should not have the best, and 
plenty of it? England and France are both putting their 
shoulders to the wheel. Have we less energy and determin- 
ation than they ? 
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SALMON. 
PROCESS OF INCUBATION, 
The egg of any fish of the gern Salmo, hefore impregna- 
tion with the milt of the male fish, is the color of the yolk of 
a hen’s eee, and apparently of about the same consistency, 
being a mixture of albumen and oil. In this particular the 
ege of the salmon differs from those of the families Clipeida 
