152 LAKES AND RIVERS. 



are known as grilse. After depositing their eggs, the 

 grilse return to the sea, and in a few months go 

 back again to the river as full-grown Salmon. The 

 male and female prepare a place for the eggs, in which 

 they are deposited ; when the male fertilizes them by 

 shedding a milky fluid over them, after which he 

 covers them w T ith sand. The kelts or spent salmon, 

 which are exhausted by laying their eggs, return to 

 the sea to recruit, but they are weak and helpless, and 

 many of them die on the way to the sea. Salmon 

 make their nests and lay their eggs mostly in Decem- 

 ber and January, the darkest months, so that they are 

 protected from many enemies by the short days and 

 long nights of the dead of winter. 



The Parr (Salmo salmuluf) is a much disputed 

 species. Yarrell calls it distinct from the Salmon, 

 while other authorities say it is only a variety of the 

 young salmon or a parr-marked trout ; such is Mr. 

 Buckland's opinion. The species or varieties, which- 

 ever they may be, in migratory Salmonidae, are very 

 difficult to distinguish ; this is admitted by the best 

 authorities on the subject. 



The Sea Trout and Bull Trout (S. trutta and 

 S. eriox) Mr. Buckland says are distinct species ; the 

 flesh of the Sea Trout is red and the taste is savoury 

 when boiled, while that of the Bull Trout is white and 

 insipid to the taste ; this seems very conclusive as to a 

 distinction in species. In some rivers the above species 

 are increasing to the detriment of the true Salmon. The 

 antagonism between various kinds of fish, as between 

 various kinds of animals, is useful where the balance 

 of nature has to be maintained ; as it serves to keep 



