24 OBSERVATIONS ON A SALMON RIVER 



The progress of large bodies of salmon in 

 the sea, judged by the catches in nets at 

 different stations, is said to be four or five 

 miles a day. They only travel in the day- 

 time; no salmon are taken in the nets at 

 night. 



After entering the river, these conditions 

 are changed, for then the salmon travel 

 mostly by night. 



Previous to entering the pure fresh water 

 they remain for some time in the estuaries, 

 moving in and out on the tides and becom- 

 ing gradually acclimatized to the change 

 from salt to fresh water. 



A considerable portion of the salmon that 

 spawn before the rivers freeze return to the 

 sea the same autumn, but a large number 

 winter in the rivers and come down stream 

 in the spring as kelts or " slinks." 



The French Canadians call these fish 

 lingards — a corruption of " long gars." 



The kelts that descend the rivers in the 

 autumn are dark in colour and slimy, where- 

 as those that leave in the spring are bright 

 fish. 



