Ward. — Migration of the Sockeye Salmon 395 



below the surface. The only time at which any fish could 

 possibly be detected, if even a short distance from the shore, 

 would be when it actually comes to the surface and the back 

 fin rises above the water. I have no desire to question the 

 accuracy of the observations, which is insisted upon. I think 

 that the fishermen have seen the back fins of fish appearing at 

 various points in the open stream, and perhaps at certain times 

 these appearances have been so numerous as to suggest a large 

 number of fish passing upstream through that portion of the 

 river. But even a brief study of the rapidity of the stream at 

 this point will, I think, suffice to demonstrate to anyone that 

 even a powerful fish like the red salmon would be unable to 

 stem the current for more than a very brief interval of time. 

 For myself, I should be inclined to explain the presence 

 of fish in the open current of the river in an entirely different 

 fashion from that just suggested. One who has observed the 

 salmon ascending rapids in a clear stream is familiar with the 

 general actions of the fish under these conditions. They are 

 enough like those of some other species to demand only a brief 

 explanation in order that the situation may be clearly under- 

 stood. The fish dart from point to point, starting from an 

 eddy or protected position, passing with a rush through a 

 stretch where they are more or less exposed to the force of 

 the current, and aiming to reach promptly another protected 

 place where they hang resting and gathering strength for an- 

 other rush. In this way, step by step, the long stretch of diffi- 

 cult water is overcome, but at no time do they, in my experi- 

 ence, attempt to pass a long stretch of violent water at a single 

 effort. They act with such care that it seems as if they were 

 clearly bent upon saving themselves as much as possible and 

 spending the minimum amount of energy in overcoming the 

 difficult water. Furthermore, I am sure that everyone who has 

 watched fish under these conditions has seen not one but many 

 individuals from time to time make a rush, get caught by 

 the full current or by broken water before they have actually 



