WELL-MENDED KELTS. 135 



ova or not, or when they return to salt water, we 

 have yet to ascertain. It is stated that landlocked 

 salmon develop eggs ; it may therefore be that spent 

 fish which remain in fresh water during the summer 

 months do the same, and occupy a berth in the 

 spawning ground, and return to sea during the 

 forthcoming spring months with the fish that have 

 spawned with them. This problem might be solved 

 by marking spent fish when in the condition of well- 

 mended kelts ; but I really do not think that the 

 game would be worth the candle. It is notorious that 

 these fish devour a large number of small fry during 

 'the summer months, and so when caught should be 

 destroyed. And here, although it may be thought 

 that the remarks I am about to make are foreign to 

 the subject on which I am just now discussing, I 

 trust I may be excused if I take the opportunity 

 now offered of making an appeal in behalf of spent 

 fish, which, I regret to say, are looked upon by not a 

 few salmon fishermen as mere vermin, and treated in 

 some instances with unnecessary cruelty. They are 



