THE NEW ART OF BREEDING FISH. 133 



Salmon invariably spawn on gravelly and sandy 

 shallows. As soon as they have paired — the females 

 seeking the males, as it is said maids do of leap-years — 

 they choose a fit spawning locality, from which, if they 

 can, they chase away all other fish. For some days 

 they are engaged in this operation. The coast being 

 clear, and the female ready to lay her mature ova or 

 eggs, they comtpence constructing what I call their 

 n-ests. How these are situated and constructed I 

 explain, on the viva voce authority of Mr. Andrew 

 Young, in The book of the Salmon, p. 174 et infra : — 

 " The spawning-bed, which may be called a continu- 

 ation of nests, is never fashioned transversely, or 

 across the water-current, but straight against it. The 

 way the bed is formed has never before been accu- 

 rately described. Some have aflBrmed that the male 

 fish is the sole architect ; others, that the female 

 does all the work ; others, again, that the tail is the 

 only delving implement employed ; and others write 

 that the bed trenches are dug across the stream. A 

 salmon spawning-bed, is constructed thus : — The fish 

 having paired, chosen their spot for bed-making, and 

 being ready to lie-in, they drop down stream a little, 

 and then rushing back with velocity towards the spot 

 selected, they dart their heads into the gravel, bur- 

 rowing with their snouts into it. This burrowing 

 action, assisted by the powers of the fins, is perform- 

 ed with great force, and the water's current aiding, 

 the upper part or roof of the excavation is removed. 

 The burrowing process is continued until a first nest 



