[fraser] 



PACIFIC SALMON 



191 



Fig. 12. — Sockeye. Length at 4 years. 



life-history, since here is the accumulated difference of the first and 

 second years. During the third year the balance is well restored, 

 so that at the end of the third year, although in the 4-year fish the 

 Fraser river is still in the lead, in the 5-year fish Rivers inlet has sur- 

 passed it. The same is true of the fourth year growth and in the 

 fifth year of the 5-year fish, the lead is retained by Rivers inlet. In 

 the Rivers inlet sockeye there is no appreciable difference in the 

 annual growth of the 4-year and the 5-year fish, but in the Fraser 

 river fish the growth of the 4-year fish is slightly greater each year. 



The relative amount of growth in the second and third years is 

 the most striking point of difference as it is seen in the scales. The 

 relation existing in the Fraser river fish is the usual as when the con- 

 ditions are similar, such as continued existence in the sea, the extent 

 of the increment in the length of a fish decreases ordinarily with each 

 succeeding year. This is not true of the Rivers inlet sockeye, as the 

 growth in length in the third year, which is the second year in the sea, 

 is greater than that of the second year which is the first year in the sea. 

 It cannot be that the ultimate feeding ground of the Rivers inlet fish 

 is poorer than that of the Fraser river fish, as in the third year the Riv- 

 ers inlet fish grows more than the Fraser river fish does in any year of 

 its life. Why it should be longer getting to a suitable food supply 

 is not apparent. 



The frequency curves emphasize the differences here mentioned. 



Turning now to the other types of sockeye that were found in the 

 Fraser river collection, those that were of the stream type but had 

 spent over two years in fresh water may next be considered. There 



Sec. V. Sig. J 3 



