THE HOMING OF THE SALMON 43 



Sutherland, we found a well-defined run of Grilse passing 

 northwards along the coast. Of these 245 were recaptured 

 the same summer on the east coast of Caithness, all of which 

 had passed the mouth of the river Helmsdale. A flood 

 occurred in the Helmsdale on the 26th of July, and it was 

 interesting to notice that after that date the recaptures on 

 the Caithness coast fell off at once, while several marked fish 

 were taken on the rod in the river. The question whether 

 or not the Grilse which had passed the river mouth were 

 Helmsdale fish very naturally arises. The furthest on of 

 the north-going fish was captured at Dunnet Head in the 

 Pentland Firth, having rounded Duncansbay Head and left 

 the east coast behind. On the other hand it is quite possible 

 that all the Caithness caught fish were bound for the Pent- 

 land Firth. There is ground for the supposition that the 

 main advance of Grilse from the North Sea strikes the 

 coast in the neighbourhood of Peterhead ; that this great 

 projection of Buchan splits the shoals of Grilse, and that some 

 pass south by Aberdeenshire, while others travel along the 

 south shores of the Moray Firth and then northwards past 

 Cromarty, Tarbet Ness, Brora, and Helmsdale. The homing 

 instinct, which we must regard as possessed by all these fish, 

 would then impel individual shoals to turn off to their native 

 rivers. These young fish keep in shoals more than do the 

 older Salmon, and their movements are therefore more 

 marked ; but although nets have been moved in successive 

 seasons to localities where additional indications might be 

 obtained of the main line of coastal migration, many years' 

 observations are necessary before we can establish proof and 

 eliminate what may be m.erely local movements. For the 

 present, unhappily the possibility of further observation in 

 the sea is suspended. 



Status of the Garden Warbler and of the Blackcap in 

 Peeblesshire. — It has recently come under my notice that records 

 of these two Warblers in Peeblesshire are not in a very satisfactory 

 state, and I have accordingly looked up what notes I have regard- 

 ing them. 



