THE HABITS OF THE SALMON. 3 



developed. For instance, in October their flesh is 

 flabby, gets lighter in colour, and is altogether 

 inferior in edible quality. From this time to the 

 end of the season they are best prepared for food 

 by being salted and smoked. There are, how- 

 ever, exceptions, since along with the gravid 

 autumn fish some are occasionally caught just as 

 good in condition and appearance as those which 

 leave the sea and run into fresh water early in the 

 year. It has happened to myself to catch clean 

 run fish under these circumstances, especially once 

 when fishing the Tay during the latter end of 

 September, 1885. About that time a friend fishing 

 the water just above me, caught three, weighing 

 36 lbs., 36 lbs., 25 lbs. respectively. I saw them 

 not long after they were taken, and I assert that 

 no finer specimens of Salmo Salar were ever 

 exhibited in Grove's shop in Bond Street, at any 

 season of the year. Throughout the autumn and 

 winter months, as a general rule, not a few of these 

 fresh fish run into the Tay, off" and on, just as they 



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