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DEPARTMENT OF THE NATAL SERVICE 



In the 1917 collection there was a larger number of larger and older fish than in 

 the other collections, largely due to the presence of the Eraser river and Quathiaski 

 fish. These may have come in from the open ocean and possibly if they could have been 

 kept separate they would have shown a decided difference in growth. All of the six 

 year fish of the stream type and most of the five year fish of each type were among 

 these. 



The sex ratio is changed somewhat. Whereas, in the 1916 collection, there was a 

 slight majority of males in both types of fish, in the 1917 collection there is a majority 

 of females in both types, that majority being quite pronounced in the sea type. 



The percentage of sea type fish, which was practically the same (65 per ce'it) for 

 1915 and 1916 was greatly increased (over 78 per cent) in 1917. No cause is sug- 

 gested for such an increase. For those over three years the percentage is much the 

 same in 1917 as in previous years, but in the three year class the stream type fish were 

 a much smaller percentage. This may be the condition of that class as a class, or 

 since it is the latest class of which any considerable number were taken, it may 

 indicate a step towards the elimination of the stream type fish to bring tho sprinff 

 salmon in the same class as the humpback and dog salmon in that respect. 



Sockeye. 



During the summer of 1917, sockeye were obtained at Quathiaski cannery from 

 Deepwater bay near Seymour narrows', at the Lasqueti Island cannery from the 

 mouth of Sauch-en-auch creek, at the entrance to Jervis inlet, and at the Nanaimo 

 cannery from the strait of Fuea off Victoria and from the Fraser river. In all 1,670 

 were examined, of which the great majority, 1,468, or 87-9 per cent, were four-year 

 fish of the stream type that had gone to sea in the second year ; 510 were from Deep- 

 water baiy, 407 from near Victoria, 596 from the Fraser river, and 153 from Satrch- 

 en-auch creek. They were distributed among the different types as follows:— 



Thev were distributed in year-classes as follows :- 



