SIZE ATTAINED BY LAKE SALMON. 149 



lake, correspond with the spring and autumn migrations observed at Schoodic Lake by 

 Mr. Atkins. A number of the fish, however, remain in the Grande Decharge and evi- 

 dently breed there and in its small tributary streams, for the adults can be caught 

 through the ice, and I have taken parr and smolts at almost every part of the Grande 

 Decharge. These, however, may possibly have come down with the spring freshets. On 

 the other hand, I have repeatedly taken adults there in September with milt and ova 

 well developed; the change of coloration, hooked lower jaw, indifference to food, sluggish 

 movements, and all the other characteristics of salmon near spawning-trme, were well 

 marked in them.' 



Concerning the habits of the 'landlocked salmon,' in 1884, Atkins (1884a, p. 42-43) 

 wrote that it never visits the sea except accidentally, and makes its home in the fresh- 

 water lakes. 'It has its feeding grounds in the lakes and rivers, and instead of fasting 

 sLx months or a year at a time, curbs its ravenous appetite for but a few weeks at the 

 spawning season. My observations on the date of spawning lead to the conclusion that 

 it is a week later with the land-locked than with the anadromous salmon. In approach- 

 ing the spawning ground the landlocked salmon move up into an affluent stream or 

 down into an effluent stream, being governed so far as I can see, by the peculiar cir- 

 cumstances of each case.' 



The spawning season, or at least egg-taking season, at Grand Lake Stream in 1878 

 extended from November 1 to December 2, males usually predominated up to the middle 

 of the month, from which time the proportion of females to male rapidly increased. 

 The females predominated until the 26th, although the numbers of both fell off con- 

 siderably in the few days previous. After that the males again predominated, but only 

 a few fish were taken. In fact, on the night of November 30 only six fish were taken, 

 of which five were males. 



Again in 1879, the males exceeded the females from October 30 to November 6, from 

 which time until November 12 the females usually preponderated over the males, 

 although on one date (night of November 7-8, an equal number of each were taken, and, 

 on the night of November 11-12, the males exceeded the females). The total catch of 

 spawning fish in these two seasons was 4,422 of wliich 1,934 were males and 2,488 were 

 females. One small mature male 93^2 inches long weigliing 7 oz. is mentioned in the re- 

 port. 



Size Attained by Lake Salmon. 



The lake salmon has been said to differ from the sea salmon chiefly in size. It has been 

 regarded as a dwarfed salmon and has been frequently referred to as such, even by 

 comparatively recent writers. The belief that the 'landlocked salmon' were dwarfed 

 salmon originated with the small race of 'Schoodic salmon' but the belief has been per- 

 petuated to this day, in most fish Uterature not\vithstanding the many records of much 

 larger fish from other fresh waters. There is nothing to indicate that the salmon of lakes 

 Wenern and Ladoga were greatly undersized. Mahngren stated that in Lake Ladoga it 



