68 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 
period fish is considerably greater than appeared in 
the earlier years of the Irish marking. In Scotland, 
comparing the first and third groups (the second 
group is practically a one river group, and therefore 
in this connection of less value), we have first an 
almost even balance of long and short absence, 
and then the long absence becomes completely 
ascendent. 
It is of little avail to speculate as to the nature of 
the influence which has apparently been at work. 
The salmon has latterly remained at home in the 
sea, be it because he required longer time to feed up 
through a scarcity of food, or a greater delight in an 
abundance of food, or lack of inducement to ascend 
the rivers, we cannot say, but it is right to notice 
that in the Helmsdale and Brora, from which the 
majority of returns in the 1903-1905 group come, 
the chief fishing takes place in spring, the season 
when long period fish are for the most part captured. 
The condition displayed by these records can scarcely 
be the result of accident. The Scottish records 
cover a period of eleven years, and the Irish records 
a period of seven years. With regard to the average 
intervals of time in the two countries, there is little 
difference. The short period in Scotland averages 
almost exactly five months, in Ireland not quite 
six months. The long period in Scotland is fully 
fifteen and three-quarter months, in Ireland a little 
under fifteen months. 
When the average weights of kelts are regarded, 
it is apparent’ that in Scotland or Ireland no 
difference is noticeable either in the fish which 
