History and Habits 21 



preceding and had an open route to the sea at 

 any time after. 



The plentifuhiess or scarcity of salmon in good 

 rivers is dependent largely on causes connected 

 with the habit of divided migration which may 

 have been operating for several years before the 

 effect is manifest on the river. A widespread 

 calamity to the parr or smolt crops of a certain 

 year may cause a scarcity of salmon three years 

 later and an average diminution of size in those 

 taken for several years after that. While certain 

 companies of salmon go directly through to the 

 tops of the rivers they ascend, others, bound for 

 the same points, take it more leisurely and halt 

 a day or two or longer in favorite resting-places, 

 where they take their diversion in leaping from 

 the water, seizing flies, false or natural, on or near 

 the surface, and amusing themselves according 

 to the various fancies which may strike them. A 

 rise of water may take them up river a few miles, 

 though in larger streams they are not dependent 

 on this and travel very often in water which is 

 falling. So soon as the salmon leaves the sea 

 does his appetite, which must be of the most 

 voracious character, begin to decrease, and for- 

 tunately, as no good salmon river that I know 



