in the Wharfe, where, owing either to natural or
artificial causes, there is never either a Mort or a Sprod
(Whitling?) seen.

Thirdly, we have the Sprod, which is, I believe, synonymous with
the Whitling, Whiting, or Birling of Scotland. It is a beautiful
fish of six or eight ounces in weight, and has more the appearance
of the Salmon than the Mort; it seldom ascends the river before
July, and, like the Mort, is far more abundant in the Hodder than
in the Ribble; this fish sometimes rises pretty freely at the fly,
and when it does so, makes a very handsome addition to the
angler's basket, but at other times it is difficult to hook,
because of its shyness. It disappears in a great measure about
September.

Fourthly, we have the Pink, or Par, which is found of two or three
sizes in the Ribble; the largest are all males, and in October the
milt in them is large; they are small fishes, ranging in weight
from about one to three ounces each, and it is well remarked by
the author of that delightful book "Wild Sports of the West," they
have very much the appearance of Hybrids between the Salmon and
the Trout; they rise very freely at the fly and maggot, from July
to October, and afford good sport to the angler who is satisfied
with catching small fish. I trust I shall be able in the following
pages to give some information respecting this fish which will
assist in dispelling the mystery in which its natural history has
been enveloped.

I will now mention a few of the opinions respecting the various
species of the Salmon, and also my own, when they are at variance
with the generally received ones, and give the facts and
reasonings which have induced me to form those opinions, and I
shall be very glad, if I am in error on any of these points, if
some one of my readers, better acquainted with the subject than I
am, will take the trouble to set me right. It seems to be the
opinion of many, indeed of most persons, that the Salmon spawns
from November to February, that the young fry, or Smolts, go down
to the sea in the April or May following; my own opinion is that
they stay in the river much longer. The Grilse is by many believed
to be a distinct species, whilst others stoutly maintain that it
is a young Salmon.

The testimony of the witnesses from the Severn, the Wye, the Lee,
near Cork, and the Ness (see the evidence given before the Select
Committees of the House of Commons in 1824 and 1825), would lead
one to suppose