41 



But I leave the doctors to disagree as to the origin of this iisli, and 

 pass to other facts concerning him. 



In external appearance the land-locked salmon closely resembles the 

 sea salmon, except in size. In anatomical structure they are said to 

 be identical. The eggs are the same size, and the young fry are 

 almost precisely like those of migrating salmon. Between the fry 

 of a few months old of the two species there is scarcely any percep- 

 tible difference. It has the jet-black spots of the true salmon on its 

 gill covers. It has the recurved, conical tusk on the lower jaw, pecu- 

 liar to the true salmon. It ascends the streams at night, and its 

 period of spaNvning is short, like the salmon. The color of the flesh 

 is the delicate pink of the salmon, perha})s a few shades lighter, but 

 I have never found the deposit of white curds between the muscles, 

 as in sea salmon. It may exist in larger specimens than I have seen. 

 The weight of land-locked salmon varies with the different localities 

 where they are foimd, and, what is a little singula)-, the largest lish 

 are sometimes met with in the smallest lakes. Thus the Sebago sal- 

 mon now average in weight five pounds to the males and three to the 

 females, but larger ones are sometimes taken. The largest on recoi'd 

 is seventeen and a half pounds. The flsli fronj Keed's lake weigh 

 from ten to twelve pounds, while those from the Schoodic lakes, 

 which are nmch the larger range of waters, average one and one-half 

 pounds, and an eleven pound Schoodic salmon is the largest on record. 

 I never saw one weighing over three pounds. 



"Whatevei- the origin of these fish may have been, whether they 

 descended from old King salmon or " came over in the Mayflower," 

 there is no doubt that they can boast of a highly respectable antiquity. 

 There is evidence that these flsh have existed in the waters in which 

 they now are found for many years. The Indian traditions of the 

 localities mention tlieni. The spot which is now the favorite camping 

 ground of anglers at the outlet of Grand lake abounds in Indian relics, 

 and there is little doubt that in former ages the Indians encamped on 

 this same spot to pursue their summer sport. Twenty-two years ago 

 Dr. A. C. Hamlin, of Maine, went to the outlet of Grand lake stream 

 with Peale Toma, the celebrated Indian guide. I think this was the 

 first time a true fly fisherman — and Dr. Hamlin is a naturalist as 

 well— ever killed these fish. It was in the month of September. He 

 says that when Toma first threw his rudely made fly upon the water 

 " it seemed as though fifty little salmon sprang forit, their silver sides 

 glistening in the pure water like flakes of light. Curiously enough 

 the " untutored mind " of the Indian had formed the same theory 



