THE AGE OF SALMON 



ACCORDING to Malloch it is easy not 

 only to tell the age of an Atlantic salmon 

 by its scales but also to follow its journey- 

 ings and occupations through life. 



As the rings on a cross-section of a tree 

 show the tree's yearly growth, so do the rings 

 on a salmon's scale determine the age of a 

 salmon. 



The scales of a parr hatched in March 

 when a year old have 16 rings, and 32 rings 

 can be counted after the expiration of an- 

 other twelvemonth. 



Two months or so later the parr becomes 

 a smolt and goes down to the sea and may 

 return the following May or June as a grilse 

 with 52 rings, more or less. 



If the rings on a fish's scales number less 

 than 58 it is a grilse, if more than that 

 number show it is a salmon. 



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