112 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 
contribute a paper to the Fishery Board’s Reports, 
which paper was published in 1902. 
The main point is, however, that food is not taken 
in any regular manner in fresh water, and that the 
fish is in no sense nourished. In support of this it 
may be added that the marking and recapture of 
clean run fish during their stay in fresh water has 
invariably shown a loss of weight. I think, more- 
over, that it is right here to add that those who 
in our country corroborated the results of Hoek and 
Meischer in this matter expressly stated, when they 
demonstrated the non-feeding of fish in fresh water, 
that much depended on what is meant by the word 
“feeding.” The “taking” of fly, minnow, or worm 
was freely admitted, and it was also admitted that 
worms and other objects were occasionally swal- 
lowed.* The interpretation of “feeding” (Report, 
p- 170) was the “ digestion, absorption, and utilisa- 
tion of material by the body.” Some reference to 
this seems necessary, for so many appear, by their 
criticisms, to have supposed that, by declaring salmon 
did not feed in fresh water, Hoek, Meischer, Noél 
Paton, Kingston Barton, and others meant that the 
taking of the angler’s lure had no connection with 
feeding. The Jock Scott or Silver Doctor may 
certainly be like nothing in the heavens above or the 
earth beneath, but the minnow or gudgeon is after 
all a fish, even though it smacks of formalin. Such 
lures are found by experience to attract the salmon, 
* In 1885 a small trout was taken from the stomach of a grilse 
caught in the river Thurso, and sent by Mr. Robertson to the Field 
office. 
