THE SCALES OF SALMON 109 



rivers, it would appear, however, that the extraordi- 

 nary loss of kelts can be disregarded in the upkeep 

 of stock. 



With us, it seems to me, the value of a kelt is 

 not sufficiently recognised. Because a kelt is an 

 unclean fish and very often a nuisance to the angler, 

 the disposition frequently seems to be to treat the 

 fish with contempt, to drag the hooks out of his 

 mouth and to throw " the dirty brute " back any- 

 how. I have seen a ghillie lift a kelt as a sea fisher- 

 man commonly lifts a dead cod-fish, by sticking the 

 thumb and middle finger into the two eye sockets. 

 What chance of survival, one may ask, has a sickly 

 kelt with bleeding gills, or one subjected to treat- 

 ment as described ? Bacillus salmonis pestis is 

 waiting for him, and saprolegnia has every chance 

 to flourish. The fish has been reproducing his species 

 in the river, and is willing to do so again if he is 

 only allowed to go to the sea and become once more 

 a silvery clean salmon. If he is carefully handled, 

 and not only treated with respect but decorated with 

 a silver medal bearing a distinguishing number which 

 corresponds with his weight and length at time of 

 marking, he is, in my opinion, of much more value 

 than a clean-run fish which is knocked on the head 

 and put in the boiling pot. 



