SALMON. 51 
It may be that Creative wisdom has im- 
planted the same instinct in the North-western 
salmon, prompting it to obey similar laws, and 
follow the same routine as to the exodus sea- 
ward, and return to fresh-water, as directs it in 
our native streams: my own impression is, that 
the fish spawned in midsummer or autumn re- 
main up in the lakes and deep still river-pools 
until the following summer freshets, when they 
take their departure for the sea as the fresh-run 
salmon come. I think so, because in the Sumass 
and Chilukweyuk lakes, already spoken of; along 
the banks of the Fraser river, and in the Osoyoos 
lakes and tributaries to the Columbia river, I 
have in September and October observed large 
shoals of what I believed to be young salmon, 
that disappear when the snow begins to melt 
during June and July in the following summer. 
I suspect the first flood carries them down and 
out to sea; but, after all, this is but surmise, 
and of little practical value. 
I never caught salmon-fry whilst fishing for 
trout, as we could so easily do in our streams ; and 
it is just possible that the rapid rise (unlike any- 
thing we know of in our streams) that takes place 
in every river, brook, and rivulet during midsum- 
mer, when the snow melts on the hills, reducing 
E2 
o 
