82 KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND SALMONS. 



It seems that Commissioner Brackett, of Massachusetts, had put the fishways at 

 Lowell and Lawrence in order and the appearance of salmon there instigated observa- 

 tions along the river in New Hampshire. The appearance of salmon at Woodstock, 

 Manchester, etc., resulted in modifying the dams to enable them to pass. In September 

 a storm helped the passage of the fish by carrying away a part of the dam. Those who 

 watched the river estimated that many hundreds must have ascended the river, as many 

 were seen all along up as far as the Profile House. A man set to watch the fish at Liver- 

 more Falls stated that hardly a day passed that salmon could not be seen endeavoring 

 to leap the falls. 



In 1890 the run of salmon in the Merrimack (New Hampshire 1890, p. 13) was 

 reported as larger than ever before. This was attributed to the unusually high water 

 during the summer. No salmon were taken after September 1 , as the water was so high, 

 that the nets could not be kept in place, thus allowing the fall run to pass up the river. 

 As many as 50 salmon were in the large pool below the falls at one time. Many salmon 

 were seen spawning in the river in the last of October. Two years later salmon were still 

 entering the Merrimack in some numbers. 



Piscataqua River. — Formerly salmon were very abundant, breeding in the Salmon 

 Falls branch and to some extent in the Cocheco. The rivers have been obstructed by 

 dams for over 200 years. As late as 1830 stray salmon ascended as far as Salmon Falls 

 dam, and in the lower river occasional fish have more recently been taken. 



Mousam River. — No salmon have been seen there for many years. 



Saco River. — Salmon once ascended the Saco as far as Hiram Falls, and they entered 

 the Great and Little Ossipee rivers. From 1860 to 1873 four salmon were caught in shad 

 nets at the mouth of the river. The latest definite salmon record for the Saco appears to 

 be that of a ten-pound salmon taken in a weir in the summer of 1875 (Anonymous 1875, 

 p. 407). It was said to be the first caught in that river for about 20 years. However, in 

 June, 1894, according to the Maine Sportsman (Anonymous 1894, p. 18) 'Four large 

 salmon were seen trying to get over the falls of the Saco River at Biddeford last week. 

 The Biddeford Journal says: "Lots of these fish are seen going up river at this season of 

 the year." ' Some have been seen there in recent years and it is said that as late as 

 1930 salmon were being speared in that place. 



Presumpscot River. — This was once one of the finest salmon rivers for its size in the 

 state of Maine, but was early obstructed by dams and only a few salmon have since been 

 taken. Salmon were reported at Cumberland MUls and Sacarappa, in 1873. 



Royal River. — Salmon were common in the river up to 1800, and some occurred later. 

 The last salmon seen here was taken in about 1853. For years, owing to the dams at 

 Yarmouth, no fish could ascend the river, and in later years besides the dams, excessive 

 pollution has effected occlusion of fish of any kind in that vicinity. 



Androscoggin River. — The Androscoggin and its tributaries were naturally adapted 

 to salmon and were frequented by them until dams prevented ascent. An ineffective 

 fishway, which later by neglect lost even the semblance of such a passage, did not avail 

 to enable salmon to ascend the river farther than Brunswick. Occasionally a salmon has 

 been seen below the dam at, that place. 



