'-’HAP. XII. 
FISHES. 
3 
11 furies is very severe. They also use their lateral spiues 
“ with such fatal effect, that I have seen one during a 
“ battle absolutely rip his opponent quite open, so that 
“ he sank to the bottom aud died.” When a fish is 
conquered, “ his gallant bearing forsakes him ; his gay 
“ colours fade away; and he hides his disgrace among 
“ bis peaceable companions, but is for some time the 
“ constant object of his conqueror’s persecution.” 
The male salmon is as pugnacious as the little stickle- 
back; and so is the male trout, as I hear from Dr. 
Gunther. Mr. Shaw saw a violent contest between two 
I,! ale salmons which lasted the whole day ; and Mr. R. 
buist, Superintendent of Fisheries, informs me that he 
bas often watched from the bridge at Perth the males 
driving away their rivals whilst the females were spawn- 
big. The males “ are constantly fighting and tearing 
“ each other on the spawning-beds, and many so injure 
“ each other as to cause the death of numbers, many 
“ being seen swimming near the banks of the river in 
“ a state of exhaustion, and apparently in a dying 
state.” 5 The keeper of the Stormontfield breeding- 
pomls visited, as Mr. iiuist informs me, in June, 1868, 
the northern Tyne, and found about 300 dead salmon, 
all of which with one exception were males ; and he was 
convinced that they had lost their lives by fighting. 
The most curious point about the male salmon is 
that during the breeding-season, besides a slight change 
'c colour, “ the lower jaw elongates, and a cartilaginous 
“ projection turns upwards from the point, which, when 
the jaws are closed, occupies a deep cavity between 
5 ‘ T he Field,’ June 29th, 1867. For Mr. Shaw’s statement, see 
Edinburgh Review,’ 18-13. Another experienced observer (Scrope’s 
Da ys of Salmon Fishing,’ p. 60) remarks that the male would, if he 
could, keep, like the stag, all other males away. 
B 2 
