236 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



flesh transparent and free of oil-granules. The heart-fibres also participate 

 in the regenerative change ; in the intestine is no trace of food. On the 

 other hand, the ovary contains sometimes more, sometimes fewer, eggs, 

 which are imbedded in a serious or somewhat purulent effusion of the 

 follicular membrane, and are evidently shrinking and being absorbed. 

 They are thus a kind of nourishjfient, a provision (zehrgeld) for the return 

 journey. But I ascribe the chief importance to the pale, shrunken, and 

 folded follicular membrane. The collateral vessels of the ovary are closed 

 through vascular contraction. The salmon is like a patient who has had a 

 leg amputated after the application of an Esmarch's bandage. Its blood 

 courses in a narrow circulation, and therefore with higher pressure, and 

 supplies a less amount of oxygen-requiring matter than formerly. The 

 circulation is again sufficient for its task, and the trunk-muscles become 

 normal. . . . The little nutrient matter coming from the ovary greatly 

 helps the restoration of tone to the muscle. 



In March, 1901, Dr. Kingston Barton, having obtained 

 leave from the Conservators of the Hampshire Avon, killed a 

 bright, well-mended grilse kelt weighing about 5 lb. The 

 new ovaries were formed already, and measured three inches 

 long ; the stomach was empty, contracted, and wrinkled, but 

 within the abdominal cavity there were eight full-sized ova, 

 which had remained unshed when the old ovaries had been 

 extruded. On the other hand, all the milt of male fish is 

 invariably shed at spawning time ; none remains to be re- 

 absorbed as a restorative for the exhausted fish. The scarcity 

 of male kelts as compared with females may be connected with 

 this difference in the provision for recruiting the energies of 

 the two sexes. Either the percentage of males perishing after 

 spawning is larger than that among females, or the males, 

 feeling earlier the want of nourishment, hasten soonest to 

 the sea. 



But is it certain that male kelts are less numerous than 

 females } Every angler and fisherman, relying upon external 

 badges of sex, will tell you so ; but they will pronounce with 

 equal confidence upon the sex of fresh-run spring fish, and 

 that it is impossible to decide without opening the ovary. 

 This was tested some years ago on the Tweed by Mr. Walter 



