[fraser] 



PACIFIC SALMON 



197 



Taking the average length of the fry when the first ring appeared 

 on the scale as 1-3 inches, the growth, as calculated from the scales, 

 gave an average of 3 • 6 inches for the first year, 11-1 for the second 

 year and 7-4 for the third year, the average length of the fish when 

 caught being 22- 1 inches. There was no change in the average length 

 during July and August, when it was 21-7. In the latter half of Sep- 

 tember and in October, while the majority of the fish would give a 

 similar average, in every day's catch there would be a number that 

 were much larger than those, so that from them it would have been 

 possible to pick out a number that would give an average of 25 inches 

 or more. Thus while those caught earlier in the year and the majority 

 of those caught later run chiefly from 21 to 23 inches in length, with 

 only 60 examined of those caught before the middle of September, 

 24 inches or over, the later addition referred to run from 24 to 27 

 inches, and some of them up to 29-5. Since a number of these were 

 taken as well, the average for September and the first week of October 

 was raised to 23-0 inches. 



These large fish agree in size with those obtained at Neah bay, 

 in October, 1915, and there is a possibility that these have been out 

 in the open sea to feed, while the others have been in the strait through- 

 out their salt water existence. Such an explanation is not necessary, 

 however, as fishermen fishing deep at certain places in the strait find 

 just as large fish as these during the summer and large bluebacks 

 corresponding to these earlier in the year. Even early in the season, 

 the fish brought in from one locality may invariably differ in average 

 size from those brought in from another locality, so much so, that 

 when the lots were not mixed it was possible to distinguish, for in- 

 stance, those from Gabriola pass or Cowichan gap from those caught 

 in the vicinity of Lasqueti island, although it might not be so easily 

 possible to distinguish the individual fish. A sufficiently careful 

 study of the scales might show a constant difference. Pé'i '4 



The frequency curve for the length of the coho at the end of the 

 first year is so much out of proportion to the other graphs that it has 

 not been included. A table will serve to give the number for each 

 length. 



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