THE AGE OF SALMON 31 



wards. No rings are formed on the scales 

 in fresh water. 



The great majority of salmon are said to 

 spawn but once although some spawn twice 

 or more often. 



It is claimed that salmon, during the 

 period of their stay in a river and after hav- 

 ing fulfilled their mission, lose twenty-five 

 per cent of their weight. 



The very large salmon, those from 40 to 

 50 pounds, are cock-fish, generally old 

 bachelors, gourmets and gourmands that 

 have remained in the sea where the food is 

 good and plentiful rather than undertake 

 the up-stream struggle with perhaps little or 

 no food, and with domestic troubles await- 

 ing them at their journey's end. 



For example, the 61 -pound cock-salmon 

 taken in the Tay in Scotland on July 13th, 

 1902, proved by its scales to be 7 years and 

 2 months old, and the scales also showed 

 that it was this salmon's first return from 

 the sea. 



It is claimed that as far as rivers are con- 



