66 MARVELS OF FISH LIFE 
which is the fish that supplies the material for the huge 
“canning ” industries of that country, differs somewhat 
from our salmon at home, and only spawns once in its 
lifetime, and the summer run of these fish all die after 
spawning. 
The changes in the appearance of a salmon during 
its excursions into fresh water are of interest. The fish 
leaves the sea with a bluish-black back, and glittering 
silver sides dotted with black cross-marks. This is how 
we see the salmon, but remember, to other fish it is 
rendered inconspicuous by reflecting the colour of its 
surroundings, and by its back appearing the same tone 
as the rest of its body. When the silvery salmon first 
comes into fresh water it is covered with sea lice, and 
if a fish be taken with these on its body, you may be 
quite certain that it is only just run up, for the lice 
very soon drop off in fresh water. 
After being a week or two out of the sea, the silvery 
shades of the male are replaced first by a coppery hue, 
and later by a rich red-brown. At the breeding season 
the salmon, like the stickleback, becomes brilliant in 
colour, his body having upon it several red and brown 
zigzag markings. When the female has been in fresh 
water for some time she assumes quite a dusky appear- 
ance. The salmon immediately after spawning is a 
miserable, emaciated object to look at, and is known as 
a kelt. The kelt, however, recovers to a certain extent 
in fresh water, and again becomes silvery in appearance, 
but never regains its comely shape until it has been to 
