THE SALMON 

 (Salmo salar) 



THERE are so many mysteries connected with the life-history of the 

 salmon that it is impossible for any one individual to solve them all ; 

 but as they have been the object of my closest study for over thirty 

 years, I trust that what I have to say may help to elucidate some 

 of these problems. 



The ova are deposited in the gravel by the female salmon 

 during the autumn, the male fish covers them with milt, and the time 

 required for hatching is Irom 

 seventy to one hundred and 

 twenty days, according to the 

 temperature of the water. On 

 emerging from the eggs the 

 young soon begin to show signs 

 of life, and wriggle energetic- 

 ally through the gravel to reach 

 the surface. At this stage 

 they are called " alevins," and 

 hardly yet have the appearance 



. r . " r , . FIG. i. Alevins. 



01 fish, lor attached to their 



bodies, a little behind the gill-opening, is a large bag, the yolk- 

 or umbilical- sac. containing enough nutriment to sustain them 

 for several weeks. Before, however, this is entirely absorbed, 

 they begin to search for natural food and push energetically up- 

 stream. In a short time, after having assumed the true fish shape, 



