66 THE HABITS OF THE SALMON. 



the annual close season^ but no one cares how 

 many of the fish that are exposed for sale on the 

 slabs of the fishmongers' shops are genuine Rhine 

 salmon ? I am convinced that many of them are 

 bred and born on this side of the English 

 coast and supplied to the trade through secret 

 channels. If the importation of Rhine salmon 

 were prohibited, there would of necessity be an 

 immediate cessation of the sale of poached fish in 

 our markets, as the mere possession of salmon 

 during the annual close season would subject the 

 offender to a heavy penalty, but for obvious rea- 

 sons we cannot resort to that remedy. It is 

 high time, however, that all injurious traffic in salmon 

 should be stopped ; not only the mock imports just 

 alluded to, but also the considerable exports of un- 

 seasonable fish from this cpuntry to the Continent 

 where a ready sale for even such tasteless wares is 

 only too easily found. 



