SALMON COVEPvS HER EGGS. 33 



the gravel-formed nest which she has heaped 

 up. The male then drops astern. After a 

 short time, the female again throws herself 

 on her side, and fans up the gravel, advancing 

 the trough a little, and covering up the de- 

 posited spawn. This operation is re|)eated 

 till both fish are exhausted. A great quan- 

 tity of spawn is of course wasted, being eaten 

 by trout and other fish, which are alwaj^s 

 waiting about for the purpose. The exhaus- 

 tion of the males is greater than that of the 

 females ; they die in numbers ; the females 

 do not die. You may pick up a great many 

 exhausted and dead males, but seldom a 



female. 



" C. F. Walsh." 



Now, it is well known that at the spawning- 

 season the male salmon has an enormous 



