204 THROUGH CANADA 



choose the coast spawning ground die like their more 

 adventurous companions that make for the heads of 

 the rivers. The whole subject needs more careful 

 investigation. 



Mallock's theory — that salmon that have spawned 

 are spotted on the gill covers, and in support of 

 which he gives corroborative if not conclusive 

 data — might be easily applied to the fish netted in 

 the Fraser and other rivers. Mr. John Pease 

 Babcock, Provincial Commissioner of Fisheries in 

 British Columbia, in discussing the incredulity of 

 Atlantic and European authorities, says that they did 

 not generally know that the Pacific salmon was not 

 identical with Salmo salar, which returns to the sea 

 after depositing its spawn. That statement scarcely 

 disposes of the matter. The spring fish caught in 

 the rivers of the province up to 70 lbs. weight must, 

 on Mallock's theory, be from 15 to 20 years old. It 

 is difficult to reconcile the fact of a fish going all 

 those years without discharging the natural function 

 of its kind. 



It may be laid down as a general rule for angling 

 purposes, that whenever there is a river flowing into 

 the sea, salmon will frequent it. As the British 

 Columbian coast extends 7000 miles, and the rivers 

 are legion, the opportunities for the indulgence of the 

 rod are numerous. There are conditions, however, 

 essential to good sport, which must be borne in mind. 

 Some rivers, like the Fraser, are too highly coloured 



