j 3 6 SALMON AND TROUT. 



been put on record, with more or less show of authority. No 

 doubt the depth of water from which the spring is taken mate- 

 rially influences its height ; but I should hesitate to assert that 

 I had myself seen a perpendicular leap exceeding ten or twelve 

 feet and I have seen some thousands. Frequently the fish 

 are actually killed by the exhaustive violence of their exertions 

 or injuries caused by falling back on the rock. 



THE LEAP OF THE SALMON. My friend and critic contended 

 that salmon could not jump to exceed six feet. I then brought for- 

 ward evidence from a number of anglers, fishing inspectors, fish com- 

 missioners, &c., in this country and in Europe, to show that salmon 

 had made leaps ranging from 10 ft. to i6ft., and still my critic was 

 not convinced. Under date of October 23, 1 894, Professor A. Land- 

 mark, Inspector of Fresh Water Fisheries for Norway, writes. . . . 

 ' Concerning the height that salmon can jump under favourable cir- 

 cumstances, there is in one place in Norway undeniable evidence that 

 salmon sometimes have made a perfectly clear jump of 16 ft. (perpen- 

 dicular height). As to the details of these jumps, I refer you to 

 page 3 of my pamphlet on " Salmon Passes." . . . No doubt a jump 

 of the said height is quite unusual ; but having myself examined 

 the spot where the occurrence had taken place, and heard the evi- 

 dence of persons who have themselves witnessed it, I cannot 

 doubt the fact.' A. N. CHENEY, in Forest and Stream. 



Salmon ladders or stairs by which the fish are enabled to sur- 

 mount high weirs and other obstructions have proved of infinite 

 value to the fisheries, and will, it is to be hoped, come into yet 

 more general and extensive use. This subject, for reasons of 

 space omitted here, is referred to in the earlier editions. 



Many rivers are still absolutely blocked to the ascent of 

 salmon by impossible obstacles ; but where no such impediment 

 exists the instinct of the fish is to go on ascending by degrees 

 until they gain the upper and shallower reaches, or spawning 

 grounds. At this time all the salmon and trout species resident 

 in fresh water, both migratory and non-migratory, acquire, in 

 lieu of their brilliant spring tints, a dusky yellowish exterior, 

 accompanied by a considerable increase of mucus or slime 

 the fins also becoming more muscular. 



