72 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 
marking and recapture must have been spent in fresh 
water, and that annual spawning had prevented any 
very substantial increase. 
In both records the fish were recaptured as well 
as marked when in the kelt condition. 
The records are :— 
5$ 1b. 28” Kelt Fem. Mar. 15,1902 Loch Brora 
8 , 34” Kelt Fem. Mar. 28, 1904 Loch Brora 
7298 - » 25” Kelt Fem. Apr. 20,1901 Loch Brora, a grilse 
64 ,, 304” Kelt Fem. Mar. 18,1903 Loch Brora 
7225 | 
Only a study of the fish’s scales could yield 
definite evidence, but, arguing by analogy, the pre- 
sumption is that both fish had before the date of their 
recapture spawned three times. The weights offer 
strong contrast to the case of the clean spring fish 
of the Tay which has only reproduced its species 
once, but has, although apparently a year younger 
than the 4 lb. Brora fish, already reached the weight 
of 19 lb. This is an example of extreme difference 
between fish continuing in the short period habit 
and a fish, from a river remarkable for its large fish, 
after spending the long period in the sea. No such 
difference could be found if the more natural com- 
parison be made of short period with short period. 
fish and long period with long period fish. 
In continuing the progressive examination we 
have now to deal with the kelts of the summer fish, 
which, after having spawned as grilse, appear on 
their second annual ascent as fish of 10-14 or 15 lb. 
in a river such as the Tay. In spawning a female ‘ 
salmon loses approximately one-fifth of its weight. 
