123 



then bears the outward semhlance of what it really is, a young 

 salmon, and is termed a salmon-smolt. 



As soon as this change has taken place, the smolt evinces the 

 most anxious desire to visit the sea ; and it is alleged, Ihat if it 

 is prevented doing so, by any insuperable obstacle, it will throve 

 itself on the bank and perish. Up to this time, the growth of 

 the young salmon has been very slow, but on reaching the sea, 

 it is exceedingly rapid ; a smolt of six or seven ounces in 

 weight, after two or three months absence in the sea, will return 

 as a grilse of four or five pounds weight ; this has been proved 

 beyond all dispute. Smolts have been taken by hundreds, 

 marked with numbered tickets of zinc attached to their dorsal 

 fins, then set at liberty, and recaptured in the autumn of the 

 same year, as grilse, varying from two to eight pounds in weight. 

 These have been released with the labels unremoved, and have 

 been seen in the spring of the third year, returning to the sea, 

 with weight not increased ; in the succeeding autumn, they have 

 been once more taken, as full grown fish, from 16 to 25 pounds 

 weight. 



Fly-fishing for salmon, in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, 

 increases annually, as the various rivers become known, and the 

 proper localities and seasons are ascertained. The two most 

 noted rivers in Nova Scotia, are the Gold Eiver, which flows 

 into the Atlantic, west of Halifax, and St. Mary's Eiver, to the 

 eastward of that port. In New Brunswick, the best rivers are 

 the South West Miramichi, from Boiestown upwards, and the 

 Nepisiguit River, which flows into the Bay of Chaleur at 

 Bathurst. It is known, however, that there is good salmon 

 fishing in several other rivers, of both Provinces ; while it is 

 believed, that there are many rivers, especially in the northern 

 part of New Brunswick, yet untried, which if visited by expe- 

 rienced sportsmen, not afraid of rough work at the outset, 

 would aflFord good sport, and heavy fish during the whole of 

 every season. 



By these extracts relating to the Kbstigouche (which 



