58 KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND SALMONS. 



At that time the collections were made it was noted that the parr of the upper river 

 averaged considerably larger than those in that section of the river which came in the 

 lower field of observation. In September, 1901, most of the parr of the collection were 

 taken in an extent of five miles from the dam at the foot of Matagamon, or Grand Lake, 

 down to Stair Falls. 



Another small collection was made in August, September, and October, 1902, in con- 

 nection with tagging operations. A number of parr were measured and tagged but only 

 those injured in the process were saved. This operation was on an extent of about 15 

 miles from BowUn Falls to the mouth of the Wissatiquoik River. The same year a few 

 were taken at Grand Pitch, none of which were saved. But they were of the same size- 

 class as those taken up river in 1901. None of the large parrs had any visible parr marks 

 but they had red spots along the sides. 



It should be mentioned that 'Grand Pitch' is a waterfall surmountable only by adult 

 salmon. Atkins regarded it as the upper hmit for spawning salmon. That salmon did go 

 bej^ond the falls is proved by the fact that young salmon were found in abundance in 

 suitable places all along the river, and in tributary brooks above the falls up to Mataga- 

 mon dam, where so far as known no young salmon had been planted. AH of the fish 

 cultural operations by the Bureau of Fisheries under Atkins' direction were at Little 

 Spring Brook, some distance down river from Grand Pitch. 



In addition to the difference m average size of the young salmon above and below 

 Grand Pitch, a striking difference in their habits was observed. In the river from Bowlin 

 Falls down, the fish appeared to frequent the gravel and shingle shoals where the current 

 was fairly swift but flowed smoothly over broad rather flat areas. In the upper section of 

 the river the fish were always found at the edge of a rapid current where the deep water 

 adjoined the shallower water of a bar or the shore, and particularly where it issued from 

 a pool. Almost aU of the fish caught were sexually mature males. All were taken on 

 artificial flies. In the section of the river below Bowhn Falls, evidently there were many 

 parr too small to be easily hooked. In early evening the shallows, above described, 

 appeared to be alive with them at times, where they were leaping and rismg for insects. 



The difference in average size of parr of the upper waters from those of the lower 

 section is shown by the following figures. 



The collection from up river, with which has been included a fully ripe male parr 

 180 millimeters long, taken October 28, 1900, comprised 29 fish most of which were 

 taken in September, 1901. In total length they measured from 159 to 238 milUmeters 

 and averaged 200 millimeters. Twenty-eight parr of the lower section of the river in 

 August, September, and October measured from 135 to 198 and averaged 156 milli- 

 meters in total length. 



The difference in the averages is plainly due to the facts that from the upper river 

 there were 11 fish which exceeded the maximum size of the fish of the lower river, and 

 18 that corresponded in size to only nine of the lower section, while of the lower section 

 there were 19 which were smaller than the minimum size of the upper river. These 

 differences are shown in table 3 : 



