26 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 



these are no doubt exceptional, not only in that 

 they are rare, but also because such specimens taken 

 occasionally at or near the mouths of rivers at this 

 stage are apparently examples of young salmon which 

 have not followed the usual habits of their fellows. 



To Herr Dahl we are indebted for the information 

 respecting the apparently normal habits of the sal- 

 mon at the stage we are now considering. As we 

 have already seen, certain specimens were obtained 

 by him in the sea at considerable distances from 

 rivers, and also taken by mackerel fishers. It has 

 been by following up this hint of the young salmon's 

 habit that he is now able to answer the often put 

 query, " Where do the smolts go after they leave our 

 rivers ? " Without doubt the satisfactory solving of 

 this problem is a most valuable piece of work, for 

 which the greatest possible credit is due to the 

 Norwegian investigator. 



In the summer of 1905,* Herr Dahl renewed his 

 endeavours to obtain young salmon by offering re- 

 wards through the instrumentality of a Christiania 

 gentleman. He obtained twenty fish in this way, 

 captured between Sogne and Ulvasund. Eight of 

 these proved on examination to be young salmon, 

 the remainder being sea trout. The stomachs of 

 these young salmon contained remains of herring, 

 sand-eels, and sparlings. Permission to use a net of 

 small mesh was obtained, and an agreement was come 

 to by which a Mr. Waage of Brandasund should 

 employ it in mackerel fishing. Between January 



* Knut Dahl. " Dyere Oplysninger om Unglaks og dens Ophold- 

 sfteder." Norsk Fiskeritidende, 12, 1906. 



