SALMON. 
171 
within the influence of fresh water, the Salmon, or its earlier- 
condition of Grilse, does not increase in growth; and yet by 
careful examination it has been proved that the individual fish 
which have been weighed in September are of twice the bulk 
of those which have been taken in July. This is shewn by 
a table in the “Quarterly Review,” (No. 226, p. 417, April, 
1863,) and that the examples were not the same fish admits 
of no doubt, since the larger fish of the last-named date were 
bright in colour, as Salmon are when they leave the sea, 
whereas when these or the Grilse have been long in the 
river the colour becomes of a much darker hue, and the 
surface is charged with a greater abundance of slime. It also 
affords no small degree of sixpport to the opinion that those 
Salmon which ascend I'ivers in the early part of the year do 
not remain in fresh water to its close, that in the rivers of 
Cornwall, and, for the most part, in Devon, where, unless 
prevented by a flow of water from copper mines, there is often 
a run of fish in the early months of the year, none are met 
with as the summer proceeds, nor do the young return in the 
form of Grilse, as in the rivers of Scotland. In none of these 
western rivers except the Tamar, and in this last but rarely, — to 
be accounted for by the depth of water which floats a mighty 
navy, — have I heard in a long series of years, (except in a 
few instances in the Fowey,) of a Salmon being caught from 
the early months of spring until towards the end of August. 
A very few only have returned late in August or in September, 
and it is only from October to the beginning of December 
that they have been in such numbers as to deserve the attention 
of fishermen. 
It is chiefly in the last-named month that the milt and roe 
are enlarged, and it is the opinion of many that it is at the 
earlier stage of this natural process when the fish is in its 
highest perfection, as well of form and colour as of delicacy 
for the table. It is at this time also that it becomes the 
earnest endeavour of these fish to pass upward in the stream 
as quickly and as high as possible; in which last particular 
they are not satisfied until they have reached some place near 
the head, where the water is shallow, and runs with a steady 
force over a bottom of sand or giavel, in which situation 
there are natural advantages as well for the parents as the 
