246 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



After a sojourn in salt water lasting from four months to about 

 two years, it may return to its native river either as a sexually 

 immature salmon or as a grilse, the female not yet ready for 

 reproducing its species though the male is sexually mature. 

 The landlocked variety of the Atlantic salmon has been vari- 

 ously denominated fresh-water salmon, Schoodic trout, SebagO' 

 trout, dwarf salmon and winninish, the last in use in the Sagi- 

 naw region. In some Nova Scotian rivers a misnomer, gray- 

 ling, is applied to the landlocked salmon. 



This species inhabits the north Atlantic, ascending rivers of 

 Europe and America for the purpose of reproduction. In 

 Europe it extends southward to France, and in the United 

 States the most southern river in which specimens have been 

 obtained is the Potomac. It occurs in small numbers in the 

 Delaware and in large numbers in the Hudson, but in the last 

 three river basins mentioned its presence is the result of arti- 

 ficial introduction. It is not found in abundance south of the 

 Merrimac, and in rivers of New England and Canada in which 

 it is native it is maintained almost exclusively by artificial 

 culture. The usual weight of the Atlantic salmon ranges from 

 15 to 40 pounds, but individuals weighing 60 pounds have been 

 recorded. The growth of the salmon is accomplished chiefly 

 in the ocean. As a rule the adults enter the rivers on a rising 

 temperature when ready to deposit their eggs, the spawning 

 occurring on the falling temperature in water not warmer than 

 50°. The time of entering the Delaware and Hudson is April, 

 the Connecticut a little later, the Merrimac still later; to the 

 Penobscot the salmon come most abundantly in June and July; 

 and to the Miramichi from the middle of June to October. The 

 salmon is not much affected by changes in temperature of the 

 water, enduring a range of fully 45°. The eggs are deposited 

 in shoal water on sandy or gravelly bottom, the parent fish 

 making deep depressions by means of their noses or by flopping 

 motions of the tail. The period of egg-depositing lasts from 

 5 to 12 daj^s. The spawning season begins about the middle 

 of October and may run into December. In some European 



