HISTORY OF THE PACIFIC SALMON. 609 



If the perusal of ^vhat I have written induces others to pursue 

 this fascinating stud}'- of scales upon the lines I have suggested, 

 my work will have served its chief jjurpose. 



That the study is a most inqDortant one cannot l3e denied. The 

 salmon fisheries of the Pacific Coast are a source of vast wealth to 

 the countries so fortunate as to share in them. But that source 

 of wealth, like our own salmon fisheries, already shows signs of 

 having been too lavishly drawn upon. It is easy to kill the goose 

 that lays the golden egg. By legislation much may be done to 

 prolong its life, but legislation can effect its purpose only if based 

 upon thorough knowledge. In this country, if salmon scales had 

 been studied before the Acts which regulate our fisheries had been 

 passed, these Acts would have been very difierent from what they 

 are. The study of scales has so revolutionized our knowledge 

 that, of the eleven facts in the life of the salmon, mentioned by 

 Mr. Cholmondeley Pennell in 1886 as ahsolutely proved, one, 

 the most important, has now been shown to be absolutely 

 wrong, and two others, hardly less important, require much 

 modification. 



I have not made myself familiar with the various fishery laws 

 and regulations of the Pacific Coast, but I know that many 

 experts think them insuflicient. If the regulations as to netting- 

 are to be made more stringent, let it be done with as complete 

 knowledge of the various salmon as possible ; and in order that 

 that knowledge may be obtained let their scales be systematically 

 studied. For months, or years, the fish are hidden from our eyes, 

 but from their scales we can fill in the gaps while they are out 

 of view, for it has been well said that every salmon carries a 

 record of its life on each of its scales. Whether I have read the 

 records written on the scales of the Fraser River salmon correctly 

 or not, I can at least claim to have proved that the records are 

 there. 



In conclusion, I have to thank Mr. W. J. Sim of Northville, 

 Kings Co., jSTova Scotia, for much valuable information, and for 

 having procured me numerous specimens through his friends 

 Mr. Frank Parry, now also of Northville and formerly of Granite 

 Creek, Mr. J. Brown of Celista, B.C., and Mr. Josephson of 

 Bellingham, Washington, U.S.A., and Mr, J. Kirkpatrick of 

 Vancouver. The various statistics I have given have been 

 compiled mainly from " The Salmon Fisheries of the Pacific 

 Coast," by J. N. Cobb, Bureau of Fisheries, Document 751, 

 Washington, 1911, and partl}^ also from the Report of the 

 Connnis.'?ion of Conservation on " Lands, Fisheries and Game, 

 and Minerals," Ottawa, 1911. 



The following table may } rove of interest: — 



