88 THE SALMON. 



CHAPTER Y. 



THE SALMON. 



Salmo Salar. — This celebrated fish is totally different 

 in appearance from the trout, having decidedly brilliant 

 scales, colored bluish black down to the lateral line, and 

 beautiful and white as glistening silver below. It has 

 on the gill-covers and upper part of the sides occasion- 

 ally dark irregular spots. The tail is more forked, and 

 proportionally more expanded than that of the trout, 

 while the fish is of a more slim and elegant shape. 



The branchial rays are twelve, and the fin-rays are as 

 follows : 



D. 13.0 ; P. 15 ; Y. 9 ; A. 9 . C. 19*. 



These splendid and valuable fish, whether regarded as 

 an object of the sportsman's skill or the epicurean's 

 taste, though once abundant in our State, are so no more. 

 Hendriek Hudson, on ascending the river he discovered, 

 was particularly struck with their immense numbers, 

 and continually mentions the " great stores of salmon." 

 The last unhappy fish that was seen in the Hudson had 

 his adventurous career terminated by the net, near 

 Troy, in the year 1840. The rivers flowing into Lake 

 Ontario abounded with them even until a recent period, 

 but the persistent efforts at their extinction have at last 

 prevailed, and except a few stragglers they have ceased 



