72 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 



marking and recapture must have been spent in fresh 

 water, and that annual spawning had prevented any- 

 very substantial increase. 



In both records the fish were recaptured as well 

 as marked when in the kelt condition. 



The records are : — 



jHlb. 28" Kelt Fem. Mar. 15, 1902 Loch Brora 

 '"^"^^{S „ 34" Kelt Fem. Mar. 28, 1904 Loch Brora 



79qfi/^ " ^^" -^^^^ ^^™- ^P""- ^^' ^^^^ ^"^^^ ^'■°^^' ^ g"^^® 

 \H „ 30f' Kelt Fem. Mar. 18, 1903 Loch Brora 



Only a study of the fish's scales could yield 

 definite evidence, but, arguing by analogy, the pre- 

 sumption is that both fish had before the date of their 

 recapture spawned three times. The weights offer 

 strong contrast to the case of the clean spring fish 

 of the Tay which has only reproduced its species 

 once, but has, although apparently a year younger 

 than the 4 lb. Brora fish, already reached the weight 

 of 19 lb. This is an example of extreme difference 

 between fish continuing in the short period habit 

 and a fish, from a river remarkable for its large fish, 

 after spending the long period in the sea. No such 

 difference could be found if the more natural com- 

 parison be made of short period with short period 

 fish and long period with long period fish. 



In continuing the progressive examination we 

 have now to deal with the kelts of the summer fish, 

 which, after having spawned as grilse, appear on 

 their second annual ascent as fish of 10-14 or 15 lb. 

 in a river such as the Tay. In spawning a female 

 salmon loses approximately one-fifth of its weight. 



