Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 533 



Nonmigratory/b«//««7//j ordinarily spawn every year once they have reached sexual 

 maturity, but it seems that some of the Salters do not, for the upstream runs, at least 

 in the Moser River, Nova Scotia, include some large fish that show no signs either 

 of approaching sexual maturity or of having spawned during the previous autumn 

 {j ^: 179)- It appears, too, that some of the mature Salters may occasionally remain 

 in fresh water throughout an entire twelve-month period {j8: 195); hence it would 

 not be astonishing if some of them fail to run up into fresh water at all in some 

 years. 



It appears that the majority of the Moser River Salters spawn three or four times 

 during their life and that a few may do so five or even six times, assuming that they 

 spawn every year (which some do not) and that they continue fecund throughout their 

 life (which they may not), all of which probably applies to populations of Salters 

 elsewhere. 



Habitat and Migrations. In the Moser River, Nova Scotia, about 79 "/, of the 

 smolt carrv out the initial downstream migration in the second spring when they 

 average about 170 mm TL, and the remainder in their third spring {y$: 179); this 

 applies also to Brook Trout artificially stocked in Cape Cod waters (49: 10). On the 

 coast of eastern Maine, however, some move out into salt water in their first spring, 

 when they are only about 46—52 mm or 1.75—2.0 inches long (see Study Material^ 

 p. 525); Weed has reported similarly that In northern Labrador, In the vicinity of 

 Nain, "many go down to the edge of salt water on the tidal flats during their first or 

 second summer" (72: 130). 



The migrator)' schedule of the sea-running fontinalis, after their initial descent to 

 brackish or salt water, consists of an upstream migration in late spring or summer by 

 fish destined to spawn that autumn as well as by smaller immature fish, and, after the 

 spawning season, of a downstream migration by smolts. Immature larger fish, and 

 kelts (spent fish) to brackish or salt water, where the kelts recover condition during 

 the winter. 



The upstream run by the fat fish takes place from late May through June on 

 Cape Cod, with a few entering in September and perhaps even as late as November. ^^ 

 On the coast of eastern Maine, the principal run is from May until early August, with 

 some Irregular movement to and fro In the autumn ;2^ In Nova Scotlan waters, as Illus- 

 trated by the Moser River, the chief run Is from about mid-June into August, as in 

 1939 when 93 "/o of the run there was in July (j^: 178, 179). 



The Salters appear along the shore during July In the Mira River district of Cape 

 Breton (Breck, 8: 97), and at about this same time they are running upstream in force 

 In the estuary of the Little River Codroy, Newfoundland.^* But along the southern 

 sector of the outer Labrador coast (according to Blair, ftn. 26) they are moving 

 upstream In September. Large runs of fontinalis are recorded for July and August 



22. Mullan {4g: ii) has mentioned a probable instance of upstream migration in the Mashpee River in November. 



23. Information contributed by Charles F. Ritzi. 



24. Information contributed by A. R. Murray, Fisheries Research Board of Canada. 



