48 KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND SALMONS. 



sizes present .themselves in different seasons, but they do in one year exactly as in any 

 other.' 



Day wrote (1887, p. 70) : 'There is hardly a month in the year when fresh-run salmon 

 may not be found in our rivers, but the main run for spawning purposes occurs as a rule 

 from October to January, or even later. Some of the December and January fish, how- 

 ever, are in that condition, as I have shown, that they could not spawn for many months 

 to come; and I am disposed to think that it is only autumn and winter ascending ones 

 that breed, but experiments are much needed to test this.' 



Day (1887, p. 73, footnote) says that Livingston-Stone, speaking of S. quinnat says: 

 'their rate of progress up the rivers varies between very wide limits. The earliest runs 

 are the longest time on their way up the river. The latest runs make the journey more 

 quickl}'. The fish seem to regulate their speed according to the forwardness of their 

 eggs. Wliile Professor Benecke {German Fish Assoc, March, 1886) could not observe 

 in the Kiiddow or Rheda during two years' investigations any law governing the mi- 

 grations of these fishes.' 



Perley (1850, p. 57) indicates that the salmon enter the Bay of Miramichi early in 

 the month of June and are generally found in all the considerable tributary streams 

 before the last of the month, where it would appear they remain until the spawning 

 time; and, while it is not directly so stated, it is implied that under certain conditions 

 there are runs at a later period. 



Gilpin (1866, p. 78-80) stated that salmon entered Nova Scotia rivers in March at the 

 most southerly and westward ones, and that toward the end of June the run at Halifax 

 is over. The principal run, however, was stated to be in April, May and June. Certain 

 facts inclined him to believe that there was perpetual passing up and down during the 

 summer. In September he stated that gravid fish which one could hardly believe could 

 retain their spawn until November were found in the rivers, and the markets always 

 had a run of November fish, taken outside in the ocean, which were undeveloped as to 

 breeding condition. 'Thus at one point of time,' he wrote, 'we have three sets of fish, 

 one spawning or spawned in the lakes, one running up, and the third ranging the ocean 

 unimpregnated.' 



According to Atkins (1874, p. 332) : 'Salmon ascend the rivers of Maine in April, May, 

 June, July and August. Arranged according to the comparative abundance of salmon in 

 them, these months would stand thus, viz.: June, July, May, April, August; but perhaps 

 in some cases May and July will change places. A great majority, perhaps two-thirds 

 of the salmon, enter the rivers in June. Outside of the five months mentioned there are 

 very few salmon ascending, but, judging from the specimens caught, it seems pretty 

 certain that salmon in prime condition are running in from the sea every month in the 

 year. They have been taken in a gill-net set for them at Buck's Ledge, near Orrington, 

 and the smelt-nets at Bucksport and Winterport take now and then some prime salmon, 

 together with some kelts, in January and February.' 



