THE SCALES OF THE SALMON ID^E 285 



therefore, sometimes difficult to tell whether they 

 have been in fresh water before or not." 



We cannot be far wrong in assuming, therefore, that a 

 fish, whether it has spawned naturally or not, having once 

 discharged its ova, will if it be destined to recover drop 

 down to the renovating influences of salt water, and will in 

 most cases carry some convicting evidence in the nature of 

 scale marks denoting a past spawning condition.* 



From these data and from my own observation, I consider : 



1. That unless circumstances are favourable, and some 

 fish of the male sex adjacent, the female fish will not spawn 

 in a natural manner. 



2. That a hen fish has the power and the organs for 

 venting its ova should it not spawn properly. 



3. That should it survive this abortive ejection of its 

 ova, it will probably revisit its river on spawning intent. 



4. That though there may be indelible signs on the scales, 

 and, for a time, in the condition of the porus genitalis, which 

 respectively indicate, first that a spawning condition has 

 approached, and secondly, that the passing of the ova 

 through the genital passage has occurred, these signs do not 

 necessarily imply that the ova has been deliberately deposited 

 during sexual excitement. 



5. A male salmon will eject its milt even before attaining 

 the smolt stage, and without the presence of a hen fish. 



* The first impulse of a wounded salmon presumably impelled by instinct 

 is to descend to salt water to recover from its injuries. 



Why, then, if a salmon spawns on more than one occasion, is not the kelt 

 imbued with the same instinct and similarly impelled to descend at once to 

 the sea in order to recover its condition and again continue its functions as a 

 producer of its own species? It can hardly be that it hangs about in fresh 

 water because it recalls the dangers which it has encountered in its passage 

 from the sea, and fears in its weakened condition to face them again, because 

 any danger must appear greater the more confined the waters of the river, 

 in which it lingers for some unexplained reason. The answer to this question 

 must be, that apparently no instinct or desire impels it to seek to recover its 

 condition in order to spawn again, when once those spawning operations 

 have been successfully accomplished. 



