OBSERVATIONS ON A SALMON RIVER 



The tail is forked for the purpose of leav- 

 ing a free space directly behind the axis of 

 the body where the stream-lines following 

 the sides of the moving fish converge. This 

 means ease and speed in swimming. A 

 round or square tail is a drag for it fills this 

 space. 



The whales and porpoises have horizontal 

 forked tails which they move up and down, 

 for they rise to the surface when swimming. 



Among the square-tailed fish I classify the 

 bass family, the snappers and groupers, and 

 the salmon family. 



The square-tailed fish are slow swimmers 

 and seldom travel far. Those that do, such 

 as the drumfish and the striped bass, pro- 

 ceed at a leisurely pace. The latter during 

 their yearly pilgrimages travel and feed so 

 close inshore that it has been possible by 

 netting to almost destroy what was at one 

 time one of the most numerous of our game 

 fishes. 



The forked-tail fish journey great dis- 

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