This, in the angler's estimation, is the king of fishes, and it likewise occupies a most important place in the general good opinion of society-its merits as a living fish in cold water being only equalled by its excellence as a dead one in warm. It is a species of the greatest elegance of aspect, both in relation to form and colour; but its ordinary attributes being well-known and duly appreciated by a discerning public, we shall not here dilate upon them, but proceed to a general sketch of its natural history, and a brief summary of certain curious experimental observations and discoveries, which have been recently made regarding its earlier conditions of existence, by our ingenious friend and correspondent, Mr. Shaw.

The sea may be regarded as the genuine and best abode of this fine fish; for so soon as it has

entered the rivers, it begins to deteriorate in condition, the scales lose their brilliant silvery lustre, and the flesh becomes soft, pale, and insipid. It seems induced to return to the fresh waters by a natural instinct, wisely implanted for the purposes of reproduction-an instinct which enables it to stem the current of raging rivers, to ascend precipitous falls, and to pass over weirs and similar obstacles of human intervention, which no other or less impressive power could either vanquish or evade. This desire to discover a suitable situation in which to deposit their ova, seems the chief if not the only reason for salmon thus seeking the "rivers of water;"the supposed torment produced by Caligus piscinus, or other marine adherents, having little or no influence on such migration. Barren fish are believed to continue their usual haunts along the coast-at least numerous fine salmon occur in salt water at all seasons, and a few freshrun and well-conditioned fish may be found in almost every large river in each successive month throughout the year. It is during this instinctive seeking for the spawning beds, that the greater number are captured by stake-net, net and coble, cruive, weir, and the rod; but it is only in the river, properly so called, that the sportsman can ply his vocation-almost all attempts to angle salmon from the sea, having hitherto proved abortive.

Rivers and streams which flow from large capacious lakes, are sooner frequented by fresh-run spring salmon, than such as derive their sources from numerously divided mountain rills,—being

Grilse,

clearer on account of their mud having been previously deposited in the lap of their nursing mother, and warmer by reason of the receptive depth of that same parent. As the season advances, the number of ascending fish increases, and it has been observed that in this upland migration the proportion of early females somewhat exceeds that of males. also, under which denomination are usually included such rather small or middle-sized individuals as are supposed to have never spawned, are said to ascend somewhat earlier than those of maturer age. Mr. Young of the Shin-fishery (Sutherlandshire), informed us some years ago, that the Shin salmon had begun to spawn earlier since they were protected from the leister, and other modes of poaching. Most of the heavy earlier autumnal fish were formerly destroyed, and few spawned till November; but during the then preceding season (1833) salmon were seen depositing their ova by the 14th of September. During our last visit to Sutherland, we found stout grilse (three pounds and upwards,) beginning to ascend the rivers by the 30th of May. They had indeed been observed as early as the 15th of that month.

It is chiefly, however, towards autumn that the heavy fish find their way to the actual spawning beds, which are often formed either in the shallow tributaries of the larger rivers, or in the upland streams of these latter, at a great distance from the sea. Many fish, far advanced with spawn, are then destroyed by various means; for it too often happens, that the "needy and the greedy" are

more desirous of immediate gain than regardful of the natural harvest of future years. At the same time, there is no need of being very sentimental on the subject. One man will hold up his hands in mournful reproval of another who has just killed a large female fish full of roe-he, the upholding reprover, having himself in the preceding spring, or even a few weeks before of that same melancholy autumn, killed his dozens of fair females-in better case no doubt-but which, had they been left to the guidance of " their own sweet will," would by that time have been precisely in the same condition. The chief difference is, that a female fish, far advanced in roe, and likewise far advanced up the country, is less worth eating, and therefore, in one sense, less worth killing than another of slimmer form and more silvery lustre, who is kept in active exercise by seals and porpoises at the river's mouth, or near that litigated line,

"Where ocean trembles for her green domain,"

as, indeed, she has grievous cause to do, when a jury of her countrymen declare that she is not the sea.*

Salmon generally delay entering the rivers in great numbers until the streams become somewhat

* We here allude more particularly to the disputed case of the Cromarty stake-nets,-Hay Mackenzie and others v. Horne, decided at Edinburgh against the defendant (the judicial factor), but wisely withdrawn by the suspenders on the eve of a new trial (bill of exceptions having been allowed on appeal to the House of Lords) at Inverness, where people have probably some notion of salt water.

swollen by rains,—although in the larger rivers there may be said to be a limited daily run. When the fresh or flood has fairly mingled with, or powerfully pervaded the estuaries, the run of fish is often very great, more especially if there has previously occurred a long continued course of dry weather. In the latter state of matters (before the fresh) these finny tribes will congregate at the mouths of rivers, as if deterred from entering by some principle of non-intrusion, and will not run the risk of a Sunday slap, however harmoniously called to do so by some powerful patron in the uplands. They are then seen, and not unfrequently taken, in vast numbers, but will not attempt to ascend,-knowing either by the clearness of the intermingling river, or by some instinctive feeling, that the supply of water by no means equals the demand. But as the fresh approaches, an increased activity may be perceived among them, and mighty is then the waving of powerful pectorals, and of broad-finned swinging tails. This change is probably indicated instantaneously by the perceptive power of the nostrils, and to this same sense may possibly be attributed the singular fact of the greater proportion of salmon returning to the very streams in which they had their birth. As soon as the fresh water suffices for their migratory purposes, they enter the river, and advance rapidly so long as the flood continues,seldom resting in their course while the water continues in any way discoloured. We have never ourselves had any means of ascertaining the rate at which salmon travel,-but Sir William Jardine