448 Reminiscences of 



apparently easily digested, having been scooped up 

 by an appetizing eagerness from the scent of the 

 open clam. 



It is doubtful if salmon depart far in the sea from 

 the estuaries of their native stream, not beyond the 

 reach of its diffused water, which they readily follow 

 up on approach of their propagating period, from three 

 to four years after their exit, as the salmon are not ex- 

 tensive travellers, as indicated by the results of seining, 

 and upon the Pacific Coast it is evident that they sel- 

 dom depart more than a hundred miles from their 

 streams, and that their principal habitats are at no 

 greater depth than from 100 to 150 fathoms. I could 

 give pretty conclusive evidence of this from the ob- 

 servation I have made in this respect. 



The Pacific salmon have their respective streams, 

 and at their season of stream-ascending are generally 

 distinct from any of the other several varieties, al- 

 though not entirely so, being accompanied occasion- 

 ally by derelicts from a kindred family. 



I should consider it very improbable that a young 

 salmon conveyed from one of the St. Lawrence tribu- 

 taries to an European stream would ever find its way 

 back to its native stream, as its connecting link would 

 be lost, and should doubt the efficacy of its magnetic 

 dermal sense to direct it there. It is possible that a 

 salmon by its delicate perceptiveness may distinguish 

 the diluted odor of its natal tributary in the general 

 flow of its fresh- water stream, else why should its as- 

 cending course be sustained short of its objective 

 point ? It is not likely it has any distinct memory of its 

 early association in the tributary where the first year 

 of its life was passed, and perhaps two years, though 



