better warranted, that he breeds in the clear, sandy, parts of rivers, not far from the mouths thereof. It is entirely a northern fish, being found both at Greendland and Kamschatka, being never so far south as the Mediterranean.

The Salmon-trout migrates like the salmon up several of our rivers, spawns and returns to the sea. The flesh, when boiled is red, and tastes like the salmon.

The White-trout, appears much of the same nature, migrates out of the sea into the river Esk in Cumberland, from July to September.

The Samlet is considered by Mr. Pennant, as a distinct species, and not as the fry of the salmon, as some have supposed: it seldom exceeds six or seven inches in length.

They commonly spawn in October, and the young become samlets the following year, and in a few months a large salmon. The milter and spawner having performed their office, betake themselves to the sea, and we are told that when they have been obstructed in their passage, they have grown so impatient, that clapping their tails to their mouths, with a sudden spring, they have leaped clear over weirs and other obstacles that stood in their way; and some by leaping short, have by that means been taken.* If they happen to meet with such impediments that they cannot get to sea, they become sick, lean, and pine away, and die in two years. The principal occasion of their dying is this; the salmon being a fish by nature tender, and very chill, cannot in the winter season endure the

*

* Salmon will sometimes ascend up a river four or five hundred miles, only to cast their spawn, and secure it in banks of sand till the young be hatched and exuded, and then return to the sea again.

RAY.

extreme frigidity of the fresh river water, by reason of its tenuity, especially being so lately weakened by spawning; and, therefore, by instinct, they make the sea their winter habitation, the sea being naturally warm. But if they spawn in the mean time, from thence proceeds a small salmon, called a Skegger, which never grows large. The female salmon is distinguished from the male because its nose is longer, and more hooked, its scales not so bright, and its body speckled over with dark brown spots; its belly flatter, and its flesh not so red; more dry, and less delicious to the taste.

The growth of this fish is so extraordinary, that a young salmon being taken at Warrington, and which weighed seven pounds on the 7th of February, being marked with scissars on the back fin, was again taken on the 17th of March following, and was then found to weigh seventeen pounds and a half.

The principal rivers in England for salmon, are, 1st, The Thames, whose salmon beats all others for taste and flavour; the Severn and the Trent; the Lon at Lancaster, about Cockersand Abney; at Workington in Cumberland; Bywell in Northumberland; Durham, and Newcastle on Tyne; the Dee in Cheshire; and the rivers Usk and Wye in Monmouthshire. Besides the salmon-leap in Pembrokeshire, there is another in the river Ban in Ireland: this river is in the mountains of Mourn in the county of Down, and it passes through Lough Eaugh, or Lough Sidney, a large lake in the county of Colraine. Mr. Cambden says it breeds salmons in abundance, above all other rivers in Europe, because it is thought to exceed all others for clearness, in which sort of water salmons delight. He bites best about three

in the afternoon, in May, June, July, and August, if the water be clear and a little breeze of wind stirring: especially if the wind and stream are contrary. You must fish for him like a trout, with a worm, fly, or minnow, or lob-worm is an excellent bait for him, well scour ed in moss, will make it tough, clean, and lively. When you have struck him, he will plunge and bounce in the water very much, therefore it is necessary to have a strong rod, ringed the same as a trowling rod, and a winch, with a strong line on it forty yards long, with which length, and a proper playing him, you may kill the largest sized one. He has not a constant residence like a trout, but removes often, and you should always angle for him as near the spring-head as possible, in the deepest and broadest parts of the river, near the ground. Put two large lob-worms on at a time, and you may fish without a float, that is with a running line. Let one yard next to your hook be gimp, and your hook a proper sized salmon-hook, No. 1.

N. B. When I come to treat of fly-fishing, the proper flies for the salmon, &c. will be clearly expressed.

TRUTTA,

The Trout, is a delicious fresh water fish, speckled with red and yellow; coming in and going out of season with the buck, and spawning in the cold months of October and November, whereas all other fishes spawn in the hot summer months. There are several species of this fish, all valued very much; but the best are the red and yellow; and of these the female, distinguished by a less head and deeper body, is pre

ferred; by the largeness of their backs you may know when they are in season, which may serve as a rule for all other fishes. All winter long they are sick, lean, and unwholesome, and frequently lousy. As the spring advances, deserting the still deep waters, they repair to the gravelly ground, against which they continue to rub, till they have got rid of their lice, which are a kind of worm, with large heads; from that time they delight to be in sharp streams, and such as are very swift; where they wait for minnows, may-flies, &c. The latter part of May they are in the highest perfection.

The colours of the trout, and its spots, vary greatly in the different waters, and in different seasons; yet each may be reduced to one species. In Llyndivi, a lake in South Wales, are trouts called coch-y-dail, marked with red and black spots, as big as sixpences; others unspotted, and of a reddish hue, that sometimes weigh near ten pounds, but are bad tasted.

In Lough-Neagh, in Ireland, are trouts called there buddaghs, which sometimes weigh thirty pounds.

Trouts (probably of the same species) are also taken in Ulles-water, a lake in Cumberland, of a much superior size to these of Lough-Neagh; these are supposed to be the same with the trout of the lake of Geneva. He is usually caught with a worm, minnow, or fly, either natural or artificial; the different baits for him are the earth-worm, dung-worm, and the maggot, or gentle, but the best are the lob-worm, and brandling. His haunts are in purling brooks, running very swift over chalk stones, gravel, &c. he is oftener taken in the side of the stream, than in it, though the large ones are often caught in the deepest part of it. He

delights to shelter himself behind large stones, or small banks that hang over the river, which the stream running against, creates a foam; also in the eddies between two streams; his hold is usually under the roots of trees, and in hollow banks in the deepest parts of rivers. When you angle for him at the ground, let the link of your line, next the hook, be the best silk worm gut you can provide; and have a nice elastic rod, which will enable you to strike true, and to feel him when he bites. Angle for him with a running line, and begin at the upper part of the stream, carrying your line with an upright hand, and feeling your lead run on the ground about ten inches from the hook, leading your line according to the swiftness of the streain; as before directed. If you bait either with one or two worms, follow the manner of baiting with them which I have laid down in the rules, and you will run on the ground without being entangled.

There is a very killing method likewise for a large trout; make a pair of wings of the feather of a land-rail, and point your hook with one or more cadises; your hook should be bristled, that is, when you whip on your hook, fasten a hog's bristle under the silk, with the end standing out about a straw's breadth at the head of the hook, from under the silk, and pointing towards the line, by which means the head of the cadis will be kept close to the wings; angle with a rod about five yards long, and a line about three; cast the wings and cadis up the stream, which will drive it down under the water towards the lower part of the hole; then draw it up the stream very gently, though irregularly, at the same time shaking your rod, and in a few casts you will be sure to hook him, if there is one in