84 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 
to sea in the interval and have again ascended and 
spawned, and second the kelts which have never left 
the fresh water. 
In comparing the first class we have the possibility 
of noticing, better than at any other time in the fish’s 
history, the actual net increase of weight, since at 
both times of observation the fish is reduced to the 
same condition. Clean fish vary in weight according 
to the time they have been in fresh water, and the 
state of their nutrition or genitalia. In the sea they 
are still possibly increasing in weight, and their 
record is in this respect incomplete ; in fresh water 
they are losing weight. Unfortunately it happens 
that recaptures of this kind are scarce, and at the 
best rather conflicting. Of course, the catching of 
kelts is not pursued in any sense as is the catching 
of salmon. Nothing is to be made out of a kelt 
when he is caught. I might first mention two 
Brora fish which have evidently spawned annually 
for three consecutive years :— 
54 1b. 28” Kelt Fem. Mar. 15,1902 Loch Brora 
7225\g° 34” Kelt Fem. Mar. 28,1904 Loch Brora 
7298 f4 Ib. ae Kelt Fem. Apr. 20,1901 Loch Brora, a grilse 
\64 ,, 30%” Kelt Fem. Mar, 18,1903 Loch Brora, a salmon 
In the former the increase is 24, in the latter 
241b.; the interval is practically two years in each 
case. Two examples of Deveron fish show better 
increment :— 
12]lb. 36” Kelt Fem. Feb. 22,1901 Deveron 
e504 15 , 98} Kelt Fem. Mar. 14,1902 Deveron 
16 lb. 37” Kelt Fem. Feb. 13,1903 Deveron, Muiresk 
6560{ 595 » 42” Kelt Fem. March 1904 Deveron, found dead 
14 mile above mouth 
