100 THE SALMON. 



hardly knows what sort of fish he really has captured. 

 Every writer has his theory, and the following is mine ; 

 it may be true or not, but the statements of fact are. 



Salmon are never found in our rivers except in three 

 stages : First, a little fish much like a trout, but with a 

 larger eye and richer colors ; they have no blue spots, but 

 have darker bands on their sides ; they weigh from half 

 an ounce to half a pound. Second, the grilse, which is 

 precisely like a salmon, except that it weighs from two 

 and a half to six pounds. Third, the salmon, which 

 weighs from eight to eighty pounds. Salmon first appear 

 in the fresh water about the 10th of June, and grilse a 

 month later. The main run of the former is from June 

 15th to August 1 5th in New Brunswick, and from June 

 10th to July 20th in Canada. The explanation of this 

 difference is simple: the Canadian fish are much the 

 largest, averaging double the size of their more southern 

 brethren, and as the waters fall during the hot months 

 of Summer, they must ascend earlier than smaller fish, 

 and before the spring freshets have entirely subsided, or 

 they would never reach the high waters at all. Strag- 

 gling fish, however, are running up at all seasons, early 

 and late, and a few probably remain in the fresh water 

 the entire year, or descend only when they are sickened 

 by a lengthened residence in an unchanged element. 

 Salmon do not spawn in Summer, but in Winter, com- 

 mencing not earlier, and often later, than October ; the 

 fish that ascend last probably spawn last. Then they 

 return to the sea; but not at once, some remaining under 

 the ice through the Winter, others going immediately. 

 My theory, therefore, is that the young fish, whether you 



