OBSERVATIONS ON A SALMON RIVER 



number according to the time the fish re- 

 main in the sea. 



In the Grand Cascapedia River a grilse 

 is seldom seen or taken. This may account 

 for the great average size of the salmon in 

 that river. These fish may pass their grilse 

 term of life in the sea, where, with good 

 food and without the fatigue of spawning, 

 they grow in weight accordingly, and enter 

 the river later on as full-fledged salmon. 

 Few salmon are taken in the Grand Cas- 

 capedia under 20 pounds in weight, and 

 it was there that Dr. S. Weir Mitchell took 

 in 1896 40 salmon that averaged 28 

 pounds. 



In order to determine the time the salmon 

 remain in the sea it is necessary to count 

 the rings from the broken or uneven lines 

 outwards. 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. 



[213] 



