ANOTHER THEORY 183 



dition, and not contracted) would be at once attacked 

 by the gastric juices, and be passed on in due course 

 to the intestines. In which case the vigilance of the 

 scientific examiner would frequently be rewarded by 

 discovering food and its products in the stomach and 

 intestines of the salmon. Dr. Barton himself can, 

 however, only give one such instance. 



A GENERAL VIEW 



Salmon, like trout, may feed prior to and when spawn- 

 ing, and they may or may not at such times swallow 

 food. Their gastric juices may sometimes act with 

 lightning result, then again at others, as in the case 

 of the rat, be inoperative, and they may both feed 

 and swallow during a period when others of their kind 

 cease feeding ; but such isolated cases as are advanced, 

 even if they be considered as proved, should be regarded 

 as exceptions tending to prove a general rule. But 

 that salmon do not feed, in the general sense of the 

 word, prior to or during their spawning operations 

 is, I think, acknowledged by most people, and hence 

 my theory, that their pursuit of fresh- water life may be 

 due to the instinctive desire to preserve their species 

 from future danger, may be worthy of some attention. 



ANOTHER THEORY 



It may also be a reasonable supposition to imagine 

 that the salmon, whether hungry or not, and whether 

 capable of swallowing or of assimilating any food he 



