54 



THE SALMON. 



Like the trout, they are very timid; and if, at the time of 

 their advent, they are suddenly frightened by any noise, or 

 splashing of the water, will turn and swim in a contrary direc- 

 tion at a surprising rate of velocity. It has been ascertained 

 by calculation, that they can move at the rate of 30 miles an 

 hour. They run up the rivers from the sea, to deposit their 

 spawn, from April to July, and are at this time in fine condi- 

 tion for the table ; after which they return again to the sea. 

 They are much troubled with what fishermen call the salmon- 

 louse, and are known in some instances to return to the fresh 

 water in the months of September and October, to rid them- 

 selves of these annoying insects. Smith says : " The young 

 are about two inches in length when they visit the sea for the 

 first time. After the parent fish have passed up the rivers, 

 the spring following, the young ones follow at a respectable 

 distance, having grown about six inches. At the end of two 

 years, they weigh five, six, and seven pounds; at the end of 

 six years, they have attained their ordinary dimensions." 



An English writer, called the " North Country Angler," 

 says : " The roe of the salmon becomes salmon fry in March 

 and April, and they very soon find their way to the sea, where 

 they grow with amazing rapidity ; as on their return to their 

 native streams in June or July of the same year, they weigh 

 six or seven pounds. They are usually called grilse until they 

 weigh about nine pounds, after which they are called 

 salmon.'' 



The following account of late experiments on salmon in 

 Scotland, taken from the " Kelso Mail," a Scotch paper, 

 rather contradicts the opinions of former writers on the rapid 

 increase in size of this species of fish. " In the month of 

 April, 1843, Mr. James Keras, a game-keeper at Bowhill, 

 Selkirkshire, took from the Ettrick, and marked from six to 

 seven dozen of the salmon fry going down to the sea, by in- 

 serting a piece of wire through the tail of each, and twisting 



