BREEDING 285 



lashing movements of her body and tail, and depositing therein 

 a few of her eggs. These are promptly fertilised by the male, 

 sink to the bottom of the trench, and being somewhat sticky 

 externally they adhere to the bottom. The female then loosely 

 covers the eggs with fine gravel, through which they can be 

 properly aerated by the swiftly flowing water of the stream. 

 The whole process is repeated at intervals of a few minutes, 

 the fish moving gradually farther up stream at each spawning, 

 until at the end of a period of one or two weeks all the eggs 

 have been extruded and fertilised. The spawning beds or 

 troughs are known as "redds," and that of a single pair of 

 fish may be several feet long. During the spawning period the 

 males are generally very fierce, driving away intruders with great 

 pugnacity and vigour or engaging in desperate combats with 

 other males. They do not always succeed, however, in keeping 

 away the Trout which sometimes attend the female Salmon on 

 the spawning grounds, and these take any opportunity to 

 fertilise the eggs in the temporary absence of the male Salmon. 



The spawning process is a very exhausting one, particularly 

 to the male fish, and few of the latter survive to breed a second 

 time. The spent fish, which are known by the name of "kelts" 

 or "slats," may be recognised by their large heads and general 

 lean appearance. They are in a very enfeebled condition, 

 and if the return journey to the sea be at all long or arduous 

 many succumb to disease, injuries or starvation, or fall an easy 

 prey to poachers, otters, or other enemies. Many females, 

 however, succeed in regaining the sea, where regular feeding 

 and abundant provender soon restores them to their normal 

 condition, the silvery livery being again assumed and the 

 prolongations of the jaws reduced by the absorption of the 

 tissues composing them. 



The majority of Salmon enter the rivers to spawn for the 

 first time when three and a half years of age and in the autumn 

 months: such fish are called "Grilse," and return to the sea as 

 "grilse-kelts" in the following winter or spring. Many 

 individuals, however, delay their ascent until the winter or 

 spring, when they are nearly four years of age and are known as 

 "Small Spring Salmon." Others, again, may pass through the 

 Grilse stage in the sea, ascending the rivers for the first time as 

 "Maidens " at the age of four, five, or even six years. A Salmon 

 which survives to spawn more than once does not necessarily 

 do so at regular intervals, and whereas some may actually 

 spawn in successive seasons, spending only a few months in 



