RESULTS OF SALMON MARKING 73 



We therefore select Tay kelts weighing 8-12 lb. 

 In doing so we are still, I consider, fairly free from 

 the possibility of including fish of another class, so 

 lonff as we restrict ourselves to returns from one 

 river ; and in making such restriction preference must 

 be given to the Tay, not only because the classes of 

 fish are there well defined, but also because the 

 numbers of returns are considerable. We are still, 

 of course, dealing exclusively with kelt to clean 

 fish increases. A fish showing the short period in 

 this class is No. 8171. It was seven months 

 between marking and recapture, and from a kelt of 

 11 lb. had become a summer fish of 17 lb. The 

 record is : — 



(11 lb. 38" Kelt Fern. Jan. 18, 1902 Tay Battleby 

 8171|i7 ^^ _ Qean Fem. Aug. 20, 1902 Tay Estuary nets 



As an example of very rapid growth in the Tay 

 we have No. 7780, a kelt of 12^ lb., which doubled 

 its weight in six months. With regard to the fish 

 showing the long period, it may be said that, if they 

 are of the same class as the fish just referred to, and 

 have spawned in two successive years, their future 

 record shows that a salmon may at one time of its 

 life adopt the short absence in the sea and afterwards 

 stay for the long period. Five fish could be so cited 

 which from being kelts of 8-12 lb. have become fish 

 of from 19 to 25 lb. in from a year to a year and 

 a half. One record may suffice : — 



/ 8 lb. 38" Kelt Fem. Feb. 6, 1902 Tay Battleby 

 ^^^^\20-3 „ 38-1" Clean Fem. Aug. 18, 1903 Tay Estuary nets 



In all these stages we see this same divided 



