A very singular circumstance is to be observed in the salmon, as well as in the herring, which is, that upon opening them, their stomachs contain no kind of food, either in a digested or indigested state. In mentioning this fact, we only allude to it while they are in our ri vers; how it is with them, or on what they feed during their abode in the sea, we cannot tell; for, from all the enquiries we have made, we never could hear of any being seen or taken at a distance from the shore ; they are it is true sometimes caught upon headlands or friths, or when entering into fresh water; and some rare in stances are related, of sprats and other small fish being found in their stomachs at these times.
Goldsmith talks of the salmon as a ruminating fish; Whether he affirms this from his own conjecture, or takes it upon the word of some other writer, we cannot say, but from whatever source he gets the information, we must consider it as an absurdity. Some ichthyolo gists indeed tell us, that the mullet, and a few other fish, are ruminants, or at least ruminantia spuria. The rumination of the salmon, we believe, rests on the au thority of Goldsmith alone. Such unfounded and con jectural ideas weaken very much the authority of the naturalist.
The size of salmon depends upon the river in which they were spawned, some producing large and others small fish. They have been taken in the Tay about seventy, and in the Tweed and Clyde between fifty and sixty pounds weight. In America, even in their very large rivers, they seldom exceed seventeen pounds. Indeed every river has a distinct fish of its own, exhi biting not only a difference in size, but in appearance, and perceived as evidently as the variety in the breed of our beeves and horses.
It is not an easy matter to determine to what age the salmon, or other migratory fishes live, as they have so many snares and dangers to encounter, both in fresh and in salt waters, that few or none ever reach the years which nature has assigned to them. Bacon says, but we think erroneously, "As the salmons grow fast, their lives are but short, the same with the trouts ; but the perch grows slowly, and lives long."* The old adage, Soon ripe, soon rotten, is often applied with truth to the longevity of animals, as well as of plants ; but it is a rule that does not always hold in nature. The goose, that arrives at maturity in a few months, attains to a very old age; and the carp and pike, both fast growers, have been known to live beyond a hundred years.
The principles upon which fence, called in Scotland close time, has been fixed, we apprehend were founded upon the experience and observation of the customary appearance of clean fish from the sea, and the time at which shotten salmon usually leave their respective rivers. By the general law in Scotland, although there are several exceptions to it, our rivers are no longer in fence than from the I lth of December to the 26th of August. However, our angling season cannot be said to commence sooner than the vernal equinox ; indeed, until that time our waters are often mixed with snow, and the weather is unsettled and uncomfortable.
.artificial Fly Fishing, is undoubtedly the most inge nious and cleanly branch in the whole art of angling, and peculiarly adapted to the salmon ; for, in all weathers, and in every condition of the waters, the fly is the most certain and successful lure that can be offered for the capture of this fish.
The first object which a young salmon angler ought to have in view, is to be provided with a proper rod, wheel, reel, or winch, (called in Scotland a pirn,) lines, hooks, and materials of every kind for the making of artificial flies. The rod should be from seventeen to nineteen feet long ; this, however, ought to be regu lated according to the breadth of the river in which the angler intends to fish ; and we have so many small ones in this country, where salmon frequent, that a shorter might answer the purpose; but if it can be easily ma naged, the longer so much the better, as you may thereby command any distant spot in the water, where you might viish your fly to reach, and far is always preferable to near fishing. The rod should consist of three or four pieces, joined by screws, by which means it will be more portable, and easier to put up and take down, than such as are or spliced, that is, each piece cut slant-wise, and bound together with rosined or waxed pack thread. This last is a lighter rod, and will cast the line with more facility and precision, but the points of the slants arc very apt to be blunted or broken, and, upon the whole, is neither so convenient nor useful as the other. Various are the woods of which angle rods
are composed : Some recommend for the different pieces, deal, hazel, yew, Sze. The rod, however, which we think will be found to be most serviceable in prac tice, is that with the stock or but-end, of well seasoned ash, and all the other pieces of hickory, (a kind of wal nut tree,) with small brass wire rings, placed near one another, and whipt about with strong thread, for lead ing the line, from the reel to the point, which ought to be of whale-bone, or tortoise-shell, of three or four inches long. You should have it varnished all neatly over, so as to defend the rod from the wet, or injuries of the weather ; and when not in use, keep it tight, in loops of list or leather, to prevent its warping. The reel is generally made of brass, but some less nice fish ers have it of wood. The multiplying ones are of no use. The line that runs upon this wheel should be composed of strong horse hairs, of any colour, woven or spun by a small engine which they have at the tackle shops for that purpose. A silk line, although some times used, and praised by inexperienced anglers, is very improper for this business, as it is apt to get en tangled, and rots with the smallest humidity. Have a loop at the end of the wheel, and another at the cast lines, to fasten them together. This last line should be nicely and carefully twisted with the fingers, and short er than the rod, so that none of its knots may get within the top ring ; the upper link should be nearly as thick as the wheel line, and should consist of about sixteen or eighteen horse hairs, of a brownish, or of a gray colour, diminishing them gradually, until you bring the last to be nearly as small as the hook tip. One made in this manner, is thrown out with much more facility than if it were all of an equal thickness. The hook link, with the first and second above, should consist of three small round twisted silk-worm guts, or a few equal strong horse hairs. Some fish with Indian or sea-grass ; but it is unpleasant in the use, for it frequently turns brittle, and consequently is apt to snap. The strength and thickness of the hook links should, however, be varied, according to the wideness, rapidity and colour of the river in which you are to fish ; there should always be a loop upon the uppermost, for the conveniency of al tering and shifting your flies, as you may find occasion. The hooks on which the flies are to be dressed, must be of various lengths and thickness, with sharp points and barbs ; in general the error lies in having them too large ; but no rule can be here fixed, as in many other things ; the size of the river, and the weight of the sal mon to be found in it, must determine your choice. In the making of artificial salmon flies, the following ma terials will be absolutely necessary :—For the body, a variety of furs, indeed as many as you can collect ; spa niels' calves' and cows' hairs, hogs' and pigs' down, worsted yarn, and wool of different coloured dyes and fineness ; heckles, black, red, &c. from the necks, and near to the tails of game and dunghill cocks ; gold and silver twisted thread, which is preferable to the flatted or plated wire. For the wings, which should al?ays be divided, the tail and wing feathers, (especially the first,) of a dark-mottled turkey ; and for flies of a smal ler description, those of a variegated domestic fowl, the grouse and mallard ; the last, when dyed yellow, an swers admirably in the beginning of June. Strong and fine marking silk thread of all colours ; beeswax, or rather a mixture of it with tallow and rosin, or which is much the same, shoemaker's wax ; with a good pen knife and sharp scissors. All these should be contained in a pocket book, with neat close folding parchment or vellum leaves, and other partitions, a great variety of which may be always purchased at the fishing tackle shops. From such materials every kind of artificial fly may be obtained ; and the young angler, after having for a few times seen the manner of dressing by an artist, will soon improve by these lessons, to such a degree, as to find those of his own making suit the river in which he fishes much better than any he could elsewhere procure.