THE NEW ART OF BREEDING FISH. 167 



mense accumulation of gravel, stones, &c. — occasion- 

 ally, indeed, a good English cartload. [What causes 

 the accumulation of these stones ? Surely there 

 must have been some digging, or excavating process, 

 done by the salmon to form such a cairn.] What 

 with ice and floods, however, not only is this heap 

 in great part carried away, but the very cavity 

 [Who, or -wh&t formed the cavity ?] from whence it 

 came, often of great extent, is so filled up, that by 

 the succeeding summer the bed of the river has as- 

 sumed nearly its usual appearance It 



has been shown that, whilst the female is spawning, 

 the male is stationed some ten feet in her rear. 

 Again, at a respectful distance behind him — say 

 twelve or fifteen feet, but still in a direct line with 

 the female — a lot of trout, sea-trout, and other fish 

 are always posted, in readiness to pounce on the eggs, 

 when the female starts them adrift with her tail. 

 Onjihe appearance of the several clouds of dirt, it is 

 amusing to see them all scurrying into the thick of 

 it, and following the ova down the stream. It has 

 never been observed that the female has a liking for 

 one male more than another ; but it has been repeat- 

 edly noticed that some one male in particular occu- 

 pies the same spot. At some little distance to the 

 right and left of this male, two or three other males 

 are usually to be seen, and much of his time is occu- 

 pied in keeping these interlopers at a distance. His 

 charges against them are most vigorous and deter- 

 mined, and so frequent that he is seldom stationary 



