120 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 



whole season into account, the fat per fish of standard 

 length in the ovaries of upper water fish is about 

 double that in estuary fish. In the early months, 

 May to August, the increase is comparatively small, 

 but in October and November the increase is four and 

 a half times. 



From the results obtained the deduction is " that 

 the fat which the salmon has stored in its muscle 

 when it leaves the sea is not only amply sufficient to 

 yield all the fat required for the fats of the growing 

 ovary, but also abundantly sufficient to yield energy 

 for an enormous amount of muscular work." In 

 point of fact, the amount used apparently in energy 

 is very great. 



In dealing with male fish, it was found that the 

 storage of muscle fat is as great in those entering 

 our estuaries as in the case of females, and that this 

 fat is used up to as great an extent, although less 

 goes to the male organs than to the ovaries. The 

 presumption is that the amount required for energy 

 is greater. 



Without entering upon further details which would 

 weary the reader, it may be said that the fat in pro- 

 cess of being utilised by the ovaries is to some extent 

 changed in character, being largely combined with 

 phosphorus, and that the other essential element 

 in development of the genitalia, the proteids (which 

 include the familiar " curd " of the fresh run fish), 

 are found to be stored in large quantities in the 

 estuary fish, and to be reduced in the muscle and 

 transferred to the ovaries in upper water fish. 



Such then, in brief, is the chemistry of this matter. 



