BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 219 



nice angling. Already I have offers for next season from parties will- 

 ing - to send me any quantity of lake salmon and trout ova, so as to give 

 us a good start and have millions of fry brought out. Perhaps you may 

 be able to help us with some of your favorites. 



I have one son in Auckland, New Zealand, who has taken a great in- 

 terest in the hatcheries there. I am now entirely out of business, so I 

 have plenty of time on my hands. My son who succeeded me has no less 

 than 25 salmon fisheries at rentals of £10,000, and has 200 men employed. 

 This season at one of his fisheries in February he succeeded on the river 

 Tay in capturing 1,300 fine salmon. 



THE MIGRATION OF SALMON, GRILSE, AND TROUT ON THE FORTH.— 



From important and lengthy investigations it appears that we have every 

 season five runs of salmon, two of grilse, and four of trout. The first 

 run, or what is called our winter salmon, commences in December with 

 the first spring tide. This is a large, coarse fish, 16 to 30 pounds weight, 

 very lively in the net and bold on the rod. The second run is the first 

 of our young salmon or spring fish. This is a fine-made and delicate- 

 looking fish, and also very lively, which puts in its first appearance in 

 February, weighing J£ to G pounds and rising 1 pound every spring 

 tide. The third run is our summer salmon, a short-made fish, very 

 sluggish in the net or on the rod, first seen in May, 12 to 30 pounds. 

 The fourth run is our autumn salmon, rather a smart fish, gives great 

 play on the line, appears in July, from 16 to 40 pounds, the milt and 

 roe well developed iu August. Males have a long beak. The fifth run 

 fish have a distinct, peculiar appearance, being generally of a dark color, 

 some red and spotted. The males have a large milt and a very promi- 

 nent beak, while the females have a very large roe. They give great 

 annoyance to anglers, leaping and disturbing the water ; they run from 

 12 to 30 pounds. It was always supposed by the old fishermen that 

 they were the real breeders which stock the river. If the autumn is wet, 

 they appear in September; if dry, not till October. 



The first run of grilse appears in May, LJ to 5 pounds. They are very 

 lively and delicate-looking fish. The second run of grilse appears in 

 July, when they are short and broad, weighing from 5 to 12 pounds 

 each. The following year they weigh from 16 to 24 pounds, and are 

 now often called salmon, as the fishermen obtain a higher price for them 

 when so called. 



The first run of trout are called lamesmen ; in other rivers they are 

 called whitliug or herling. They appear in January and again in Au- 

 gust; a very neat little fish, 6 to 12 ounces. The second run of trout 

 is called the sea trout; very green and silvery, and a very smart little 

 fish, seldom caught with the fly, but easily with the minnow. They 

 appear in February, 2 to 5 pounds. The third run of trout comprise two 

 different sorts. One has has spots all over; the other below the line. 

 The first is very pale and the second as red as salmon. They run from 

 1£ to 2 pounds each ; are first seen in May, and then in August. The 



