34: SALMOXIDiE. 



fry leave the egg they have grown to an inch and a quar- 

 ter in length ; in six months to three inches. At the end of 

 fourteen months one half the family have completed their 

 parr or infant stage, and go down to the sea as smolts, much 

 changed in their general appearance. The other half of the 

 family follow at the end of the second year, though a few 

 will remain until the fourth year. The smolt, in the nourish- 

 ing waters of the briny ocean gains a pound in weight per 

 month, and toward the close of summer returns to his birth- 

 place in the blue and silver livery of a gi'ilse, and very like 

 a salmon in appearance. The grilse tarries in the upper 

 river until the following spring, and then returns again to 

 the sea a fall grown salmon — three years being the time re- 

 quired to reach his maturity. 



The season of the year at which salmon spawn varies ac- 

 cording to geographical locality and temperature of water. 

 For instance, in the Port Medway river. Nova Scotia, salmon 

 are taken with a fly in February when the ice is running, 

 v/hile in the lower St. Lawrence they are not taken until af- 

 ter the middle of June. The time of spawning often varies 

 in the same river, and is determined by the period at which 

 impregnation has taken place. It is a pecuhar fact that the 

 salmon propagates its kind before it is adult, the males 

 only, however, attaining sexual maturity. A portion of the 

 " run" therefore, being riper than others, spawn sooner, and 

 having fulfilled their mission, return at once to the sea, 

 while their less fortunate kindred must continue their pil- 

 grimage, perchance to head- waters ; for so long as their great 

 work remains unaccomplished, they will press on until 

 stopped by insurmountable obstacles. Where the rivers are 

 short, the salmon return merely emaciated and reduced in 

 weight ; but in the Columbia, Avhich, with its tributaries, ex- 

 tends for hundreds of miles, they die by millions, worn out 

 and exhausted by their incredible journey. Such as reach 

 the upper .spawning beds arrive in a mutilated condition, 

 with their tails and fins worn off, and their heads crushed 



