12 TO-AND-FRO MOVEMENTS OF SALMON 



evidence of net-fishers, river-watchers, and others, has 

 convinced me that in some rivers at least, a considerable 

 number of the salmon that run in spring and early 

 summer return to the sea before the spawning season. 

 It is right to say that my observation and the evidence 

 referred to apply only to rivers of moderate size, not to 

 large rivers like the Tay or the Tweed. 



Attention was first drawn to the question of to-and- 

 fro migration of salmon by the late Mr. Dunbar, when, 

 as lessee of the entire fishings, rod and net, of the 

 Thurso, he had excellent opportunity for observation, 

 and, as a watchful naturalist, made good use of it. In 

 the Thurso, large clean salmon leave the sea during the 

 winter months, ascending into Loch More, a sheet of 

 water about fourteen miles above the tide and of no great 

 depth, 1 whence after a sojourn of some weeks or 

 months, they drop back to the sea, their skin bearing 

 a ruddy tinge, but with their ovaries and milt still 

 small. The net-fishers, both in the Thurso and other 

 rivers, are perfectly familiar with this class of fish ; and 

 anglers, meeting them in late winter and early spring, 

 have learnt to esteem them when cooked as being much 

 superior to the small fish that run in spring. 



The following incident may serve to show how these 

 winter fish are met. The angling season on Thurso 

 opens on llth January. In 1896 I fished that river on 

 eleven days between 23rd January and 8th February. 

 I landed eight clean fish in the first five days, after 



1 The depth of this lake has been increased, I understand, by about 

 four feet since I used to fish the Thurso ; the intention being to store 

 water for the provision of summer spates. 



