236 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
flesh transparent and free of oil-granules. The heart-fibres also participate 
in the regenerative change ; in the intestine is no trace of food. On the 
other hand, the ovary contains sometimes more, sometimes fewer, eggs, 
which are imbedded in a serious or somewhat purulent effusion of the 
follicular membrane, and are evidently shrinking and being absorbed. 
They are thus a kind of nourishment, a provision (zehrgeld) for the return 
journey. But I ascribe the chief importance to the pale, shrunken, and 
folded follicular membrane. The collateral vessels of the ovary are closed 
through vascular contraction. The salmon is like a patient who has had a 
leg amputated after the application of an Esmarch’s bandage. Its blood 
courses in a narrow circulation, and therefore with higher pressure, and 
supplies a less amount of oxygen-requiring matter than formerly. The 
circulation is again sufficient for its task, and the trunk-muscles become 
normal. . . . The little nutrient matter coming from the ovary greatly 
helps the restoration of tone to the muscle. 
In March, 1901, Dr. Kingston Barton, having obtained 
leave from the Conservators of the Hampshire Avon, killed a 
bright, well-mended grilse kelt weighing about 5 lb. The 
new ovaries were formed already, and measured three inches. 
long ; the stomach was empty, contracted, and wrinkled, but 
within the abdominal cavity there were eight full-sized ova, 
which had remained unshed when the old ovaries had been 
extruded. On the other hand, all the milt of male fish is. 
invariably shed at spawning time; none remains to be re- 
absorbed as a restorative for the exhausted fish. The scarcity 
of male kelts as compared with females may be connected with 
this difference in the provision for recruiting the energies of 
the two sexes. Either the percentage of males perishing after 
spawning is larger than that among females, or the males, 
feeling earlier the want of nourishment, hasten soonest to 
the sea. 
But is it certain that male kelts are less numerous than 
females ? Every angler and fisherman, relying upon external 
badges of sex, will tell you so; but they will pronounce with 
equal confidence upon the sex of fresh-run spring fish, and 
that it is impossible to decide without opening the ovary. 
This was tested some years ago on the Tweed by Mr. Walter 
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