RESULTS OF SALMON MARKING 69 



have adopted the short period or those which have 

 adopted the long period. The average kelt in Scot- 

 land is, however, about 2 Ib. heavier than the average 

 kelt of the Irish records, the weights being respectively 

 7f Ib. and practically 5|- Ib. If individual districts 

 in Scotland were compared, it could be shown that 

 the same variation exists between kelts of say the 

 Helmsdale and the Tay, the former being, so far as 

 these records show, 6f Ib. and the latter 9 Ib. ; but 

 the purpose of the above tables being to elucidate 

 the divided migration, the fact that such differences 

 exist in the one country only serves to bring out 

 more forcibly the fact that this divided migration 

 is independent of the weight of the fish. The sub- 

 ject of the increase of weight in kelt to clean condition 

 will have to be dealt with more fully later, but to 

 complete the statement as to the tables the increase 

 may be briefly given here. The Scottish returns 

 show an average increase in the short period of 

 6 Ib., in the long period of 10 Ib. ; the Irish records, 

 in the short period 4^ Ib., in the long period 

 lOf Ib. 



In the previous chapters the life of the smolt and 

 grilse has been traced, and evidence has been educed 

 to show that the smolts which descend in May at 

 the age of fully two years make their first reappear- 

 ance in fresh water at two separate seasons and in 

 two stages of life, viz., in a year as grilse, and in a 

 year and a half, having spent two winters in the 

 sea, as small spring fish. This in the life of the 

 salmon is the commencement of the divided migra- 

 tion. The tables just given prove the continuance 



