SOME FISH AND SOME FISHING 



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 sixteen rings, and 

 thirty-two rings can be counted after the 

 expiration of another twelve months. 



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 fifty-two rings, more or less. 



If the rings on a fish's scales number less 

 than fifty-eight it is a grilse, if more than 

 that number show it is a salmon. 



All the grilse and salmon that enter a 

 river are supposed to spawn and those that 

 remain long in fresh water have the edges 

 of their scales broken off. When the kelt- 

 grilse and the kelt-salmon return to the sea 

 and begin to feed, a ring forms around these 

 broken parts and these rings increase in 

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