120 THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 
whole season into account, the fat per fish of standard 
length in the ovaries of upper water fish is about 
double that in estuary fish. In the early months, 
May to August, the increase is comparatively small, 
but in October and November the increase is four and 
a half times. 
From the results obtained the deduction is “ that 
the fat which the salmon has stored in its muscle 
when it leaves the sea is not only amply sufficient to 
yield all the fat required for the fats of the growing 
ovary, but also abundantly sufficient to yield energy 
for an enormous amount of muscular work.” In 
point of fact, the amount used apparently in energy 
is very great. 
In dealing with male fish, it was found that the 
storage of muscle fat is as great in those entering 
our estuaries as in the case of females, and that this 
fat is used up to as great an extent, although less 
goes to the male organs than to the ovaries. The 
presumption is that the amount required for energy 
is greater. 
Without entering upon further details which would 
weary the reader, it may be said that the fat in pro- 
cess of being utilised by the ovaries is to some extent 
changed in character, being largely combined with 
phosphorus, and that the other essential element 
in development of the genitalia, the proteids (which 
include the familiar “ curd” of the fresh run fish), 
are found to be stored in large quantities in the 
estuary fish, and to be reduced in the muscle and 
transferred to the ovaries in upper water fish. 
Such then, in brief, is the chemistry of this matter. 
