“EARLY” AND “LATE” SALMON RIVERS. 81 
Having thus glanced at former legislation, to show 
what a contrast it presents to that of the present day, 
I would call attention to the fact, that although men’s 
minds have been brought to agree to much less 
varied limits in close and open seasons—or rather to 
concur in the opinion that a longer close season is 
in all cases required than that before generally 
adopted—-still there is much controversy and a great 
difficulty in fixing periods which will meet with the 
approval of all, and it is now of great importance that 
the close and open season question should be con- 
sidered attentively and become better understood. 
With the view of inducing those who may be in- 
terested in the subject to give it a more dispassionate 
and. careful investigation, it has occurred to me that 
it may, perhaps, be of use to call attention briefly to a 
few facts which may possibly not be generally known. 
The time then of the spawning of the salmon is to 
a great extent uniform. In no river does it com- 
mence before October, or continue after, February ; 
this I state broadly. A few very rare cases may be 
found in which these limits are exceeded, and I once 
took a salmon in June so full of far-advanced spawn, 
that it poured out of the fish when landed. I have 
also heard of a few fish spawning in September. But 
these are the exceptions that prove the rule. The fish 
enter the rivers, however, for the purpose of spawning 
at all seasons of the year; and the fact should be 
G 
