FURTHER NOTES ON SALMONID^ 207 



anything to do with the comparative temperatures of river 

 and sea, as regards the descent of fish voluntarily, in the 

 middle of summer, to the tidal reaches ? And have these 

 comparative temperatures nothing to do with this descent 

 irrespective of long and short courses and presence or 

 absence of reservoirs along their courses ? One point more 

 before we leave this stage of the inquiry. How are fish I 

 refer to Salmonidae and the temperatures of sea and river 

 affected by the prevailing winds ? On the North and East 

 Coasts, N. and N.E. and S.E. winds prevail all through the 

 best spring fishing, and the snow-water is really far from 

 being utterly destructive of sport ; but on the West Coast 

 the west wind rarely comes, as yachtsmen know, before 

 June, and often not then. Does an on-shore wind produce 

 warmer surface water close to shore, and does an off-shore 

 wind cause a colder upper stratum of sea - water at the 

 surface? (On such points consult Sir John Murray's early 

 articles upon this very subject.) 



I cannot dogmatise upon these questions, nor offer a 

 solution of the phenomenon related of the descent of Salmon 

 from the shallow Loch More as verified (?) by the late W. 

 Dunbar, nor can I do so as regards Sir Herbert's Cree fish 

 doing the same, and I can only throw out a hint that 

 possibly temperatures have more to do with it than any- 

 thing else. 



In conclusion, I may mention that my remarks, quoted 

 at length by Sir Herbert, really referred to the rivers I 

 thought were typical of my own remarks, and such as I 

 had more or less acquaintance with, viz. Dee, Don, and 

 Deveron, leaving out Spey, as it has certain reservoirs at its 

 source and on its course, though its tributaries have none to 

 which Salmon have access. I desire to avoid speculation 

 certainly, and in proof thereof I propose to relate the history 

 of a river with which I have been very intimately acquainted 

 for about thirty-five years, viz. the Inver. If, unavoidably, 

 questions be started when these relations are in course of 

 preparation and evolution, I hope none may be taken as 

 absolute experience, unless backed up by a reasonable amount 

 of actual observation. 



