FISHING AT HOME AND ABROAD 

 found that their genitalia were in a backward condition— dormant, so to 

 say. They pass up into the comparatively shallow waters of Loch More, 

 where, if they do not return to the sea in the interval, they must pass ten 

 or eleven months without taking food before undertaking the effort of 

 reproduction. 



In 1894 I fished the Thurso during the last week of January, and killed 

 six of these winter fish weighing 18^ lb., 18 lb., 18 lb., 17 lb., 17 lb., and 

 15| lb., and two spring fish weighing 8^ lb. and 7 lb. At the close of the 

 month the weather became remarkably warm and bright, the river falling 

 so low that sport failed altogether. My companion being tired of fruitlessly 

 flogging glassy pools, went up to Loch More, broke open the boat-house, 

 and got afloat between 2 and 3 p.m. By 4 o'clock, when darkness comes on 

 at that season in those high latitudes, he had landed with fly four salmon 

 weighing from 16 to 20 lb. Evidently the loch was well stocked with heavy 

 fish; but the experiment could not be repeated, for the syndicate which 

 then rented the Thurso fishings disapproved of winter angling on Loch 

 More, and decreed that in future no line should be cast on it until April 1. 

 They did this in the belief that these large fish intended to remain in the 

 loch throughout the fishing season, and would afford them sport in the 

 pleasant spring and summer season. But would these fish so remain ? 

 Mr Dunbar claimed to have proved that they returned to the sea after a 

 short time and stated that he frequently caught them in the nets at the 

 river mouth of which he had control. My subsequent experiences in the 

 Cree, as well as reports which I have received from the Shin and the 

 Helmsdale, accord well with Mr Dunbar's observations. 



The problem is one well worthy of further investigation, not only in 

 the interest of abstract science, but because of the practical bearing it has 

 upon the general management of salmon fisheries. It may also modify 

 the conclusions arrived at from the age -marks on scales. 



It is with some trepidation that I now approach another problem in the 

 life -history of the salmon , for it is one upon which I hold what may be 

 considered the unpopular view, the opponents of which sometimes express 

 disagreement in terms of greater force than urbanity. The question is 

 whether salmon feed or fast in fresh water. Such naturalists who have given 

 attention to the subject and have had adequate opportunity of studying it 

 on the spot have come to an almost unanimous opinion that salmon do not 

 feed, in the sense of taking regular nourishment, after leaving the salt water. 

 They found this opinion upon the total inadequacy of many rivers teeming 

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