red_...." The
word "gut" is employed before this date, but it seems obvious that
silkworm gut was for a long time used under the impression that it was
a weed, and that its introduction was a thing of the 17th century. It
is probable, however, that vegetable fibre was used too; we believe
that in some parts of India it is used by natives to this day. Pepys'
"minikin" was probably cat-gut.]

_Land-locked Salmon_.--The land-locked salmon (_Salmo salar sebago_)
of Canada and the lakes of Maine is, as its name implies, now regarded
by scientists as merely a land-locked form of the salmon. It does not
often attain a greater size than 20 ft, but it is a fine fighter and
is highly esteemed by American anglers. In most waters it does not
take a fly so well as a spinning-bait, live-bait or worm. The methods
of angling for it do not differ materially from those employed for
other _Salmonidae_.

_Pacific Salmon_.--Closely allied to _Salmo salar_ both in appearance
and habits is the genus _Oncorhynchus_, commonly known as Pacific
salmon. It contains six species, is peculiar to the North Pacific
Ocean, and is of some importance to the angler, though of not nearly
so much as the Atlantic salmon. The quinnat is the largest member of
the genus, closely resembles _salar_ in appearance and surpasses him
in size. The others, sockeye, humpback, cohoe, dog-salmon and masu,
are smaller and of less interest to the angler, though some of them
have great commercial value. The last-named is only found in the
waters of Japan, but the rest occur in greater or less quantities
in the rivers of Kamchatka, Alaska, British Columbia and Oregon. The
problems presented to science by solar are offered by _Oncorhynchus_
also, but there are variations in his life-history, such as the fact
that few if any fish of the genus are supposed to survive their first
spawning season. When once in the rivers none of these salmon is of
very much use to the angler; as, though it is stated that they will
occasionally take a fly or spoon in fresh water, they are not nearly
so responsive as their Atlantic cousin and in many streams are
undoubtedly not worth trying for. At the mouths of some rivers,
however, where the water is distinctly tidal, and in certain bays of
the sea itself they give very fine sport, the method of fishing for
them being usually to trail a heavy spoonbait behind a boat. By this
means remarkable bags of fish have been made by anglers. The sport is
o