SAL 
iflands. It frequents the lakes and mar/lies; it*s 
colours are extremely beautiful; and it is one of 
the fmallefl of the genus to which it belongs. 
SALMON. A genus of abdominales in the 
Linnasan fyftem. According to Artedi, the di- 
ftinguifliing chara£lers of this genus of fiflies are; 
that the branchioftege membrane on each fide 
contains eleven,- twelve, of nineteen bones; the 
body of the fifh is generally variegated with fpots; 
the dorfal fins are placed nearer the head than the 
ventral ones; and the teeth, which are large, are 
arranged in the jaws and palate, and on the 
congue: to which may be added, from Linnasus, 
that the pofterior dorfal fin is adipofe, and that 
the ventral fins have many rays. 
Salmon, Common; the Salmo Salar of Lin- 
fjgeus. This is a northern filh, being unknown 
in the Mediterranean, and other warm climates. 
It is found in France in fome of the rivers which 
empty themfelves into the ocean, and as far north 
as Greenland. In feveral countries thefe fifh 
conftitute a principal article of commerce, being 
cured difixrent ways, by faking, pickling, and 
drying. There are ftationary fifheries of them 
in Iceland, Norway, and the Baltic: but the m.oft 
canfiderable are at Coleraine, in Ireland; and at 
Berwick upon Tweed, in England. 
The Salmon was a fifli known to the Romans; 
for Pliny fpeaks of it as found in the rivers of 
Aquitaine; and Aufonius enumerates it among 
thofe of the Mofel : but the Greeks appear to have 
been unacquainted v.'ith it. According to it's 
different ages, it receives diflindt appellations: 
thofe which are taken in the Ribble, in York- 
fliire, are called Smelts the firfl year; Sprods, the 
fecond; Morts, the third; Fork-tails, the fourth; 
Half-fiflT, the fifth; and in the fixth year, when 
they are fuppofed to have attained their proper 
growth, they are deemed worthy of the name of 
Salmon. In all parts of Europe the fize of thefe 
lilh is nearly the fame; the largeft weigh from 
thirty to forty pounds, though fome have been 
caught of the weight of feventy pounds each. 
The Salmon is a fifli lb generally known, that 
a brief defcription of it's figure and colours is fuf- 
ficient. Tlie body is longifii, and covered with 
fmall thin fcales; the head is fmall in proportion 
to the body; the fiiout is fharp; and the tail is 
forked. The back is of a blueifli colour; and 
the other parts are generally white, intermixed 
with blackifh or reddifh fpots, arranged in a very 
beautiful manner. The female may be diflin- 
guifhed from the male by having a longer and 
more hooked fnout, as well as dufkier fcales ; and 
by the body being fpeckled all over with dark 
brown fpots. The belly is alfo more depreifed; 
and contains lefs red. From the lower jaw of the 
male proceeds a bony griille, refembling the beak 
of a hawk, v^hich ferves as a defence againft fuch 
fifh as would devoiir their fpawn: this excrefcence 
grows to the length of nearly two inches, and 
falls off when the fiHi returns to the fea. The 
Saliiion is likewife more fpotted in frefh water 
than in the fea: the teeth are fmall in proportion 
to the body; and the gills are quadruple, with ;i 
broad cover full of red fpots. The fTefli of the 
Salmon, when frefh killed, is not fo red as when 
boiled or faked: it is tender, lufcious, falls into 
flakes, and is generally preferred to that of almofl 
any other fifli. About the time of fpawn ing, 
it becomes more infipid than at other feafons; 
^indthe fifh lofes much of it's beautiful colours. 
SAL 
The Salmon is thus cured. It is fplit, then rub- 
bed with fine fait; and, after lying in pickle fof 
fix weeks, is packed up with layers of coarfe brown 
Spanifli fait in cafks, fix of which make a ton : 
thefe are exported to Leghorn and Venice, at the 
price of twelve or thirteen pounds per ton, 
though formerly they fetched a much higher 
price. 
Salmon are equally natives of frefh and fait wa- 
ters ; and quit the fea at certain feafons, in order 
to depofit their fpawn in fecurity in the gravelly 
beds of rivers remote from their mouths. They 
are often taken in the Rhine as high as Bafil : 
they gain the fources of the Lapland rivers, in 
Ipite of their rapid courfes; and furpafs the per- 
pendicular falls of Leixflip, Kennerth, and Pont 
Aberglakyn. 
Tliefe fifh live for feveral years; and may be 
kept alive a confiderable time feparate from the 
water. The befl arc well fed, large, of a mid-' 
dling age, tender, fhort, reddifli, and taken in 
fine clear running waters. As an aliment, the 
Salmon abounds with volatile fait, and oily and 
balfamic particles, which render it nutritive, 
ftrengthening, and invigorating: it is diuretic, 
pe6lora!, and reflorative; but, if eaten too pro- 
fufely, it occafions vomitings and indigeflions ; 
and, if too old, it proves dry and hard, and lies 
heavy on the ftomach. 
The Salmon-fifliery v/as very early deemed an 
article of great importance. In the 13th of Ed- 
ward I. an act v/as pafled to prevent the capture 
of thefe fifli, from the Nativity of our Lord to St. 
Martin's Day, in the v/aters of the Humber, Oufe, 
Trent, Don, Arre, Derwent, Wharfe, Nid, Yore, 
Swale, and Tees; and fuccefnve monarchs have 
provided for the fecurity of fifli in other rivers. 
The Salmon fry, or fmelts, leave the Merfey 
about May or June; and then weigh about twa 
ounces each : they return about Augufl or Sep- 
tember, when their weight is from one pound and 
a half to two pounds. 
The Salmon ought to be kept a few days be- 
fore it is drefTed ; for which reafon it is better 
when it has reached London than when caught in 
the Merfey. About the time of fpawning, it is 
lefs valued; and even the very colours, from tlieir 
dulnefs, indicate the fifli to be out of feafon : then 
it is commonly denominated a Knipper. 
The Salmon inhabits the rivers for about Cix, 
months in the year : it enters the frefh water about 
December or January; and is fometimes caught 
in the Merfey in November, February, or March, 
v\?here it continues till the autumnal feafon, whea 
it calls it's fpawn, and foon after returns to the 
fea. But the very reverfe of this is reported of 
the Salmon peculiar to the river Ex, in Devon- 
fliire, and the rivers Lflc and Wye, in Mon- 
mouthfhire, where they are faid to be in feafon 
during the other fix months. 
When the time of fpawn ing, arrives,' the female 
feeks fome proper fituation in a gravelly bottom,- 
where fiie works with her head, tail, belly, and 
fides, till fhe has formed a kind of nidus, of the 
fame dimenfions with herfelf ; which done, fhe 
difchargcs her fpawn, and retires. Then the 
male, or milter, advances. This is no fooner 
over, than the female returns to the male; when 
they jointly endeavour to cover their brood with 
the gravel, in which they work with their nofes 
in tlie manner of hogs: after this they return to 
the deep, in order to recover their ftrength, which 
■- ,\. theyr 
