F. DAY : EARLY AND LATE SALMON RIVERS. 



2 7 



among early and late rivers. But it must be observed that this 

 theory respecting rainfall does not stand the test of examination 

 throughout Scotland and Ireland. 



Can any conditions of salmon ascending 'early' or 'late,' or 

 breeding earlier or later, or completing their ova depositing within a 

 shorter period of time, be attributed to constitutional peculiarities 

 affecting the local race of fish? Two main branches of inquiry would 

 seem to be here indicated. First, are all these early fish ascending in 

 order to breed the same year? Secondly, what are the constitutional 

 peculiarities of early salmon ? 



It would seem from the few investigations which have been made 

 that it is by no means improbable that some of the early-ascending 

 fish may be seasonally sterile, although it is generally held that in 

 many ova and milt may be discovered on a microscopic investigation 

 to be a very little developed, and although these last would probably 

 be among such as push on to the upper waters, it seems still desirable 

 of proof why it is that they should desire to remain so many months in 

 the stream, away from the sea. This gives rise to the very important 

 question of how frequently do salmon breed ? We may dismiss as un- 

 tenable one consideration which has been advanced, that they may do 

 so twice yearly ; still we possess the evidence of Mr Buist that he 

 spawned a particular fish on two successive seasons, and of Mr. Brown, 

 who treated another similarly on two alternate years, but where it was 

 during the intermediate period of course it is impossible to say. 

 Lastly, we have Mr. Frank Buckland, who stated before a Parliamen- 

 tary committee in 1877, that 'a salmon does not breed every year, 

 but every three years,' and whose further remarks I have already 

 quoted. It is asserted in Nature, 1877, page 376, that a gentleman 

 who at different times had marked hundreds of kelts during the 

 months of February, March, and April, while they were descending 

 to the sea, had never seen one returning to spawn in the river 

 that autumn, but he had met with individuals he had marked 

 coming back the next year. He believed that ' they frequent the fresh 

 waters from habit, although there is no sign of milt or roe,' and that 

 these fish are biennial breeders. On this point one looks in vain 

 through the reports of our Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for any 

 facts, but in such there is absolutely nothing to the point except bare 

 opinions, and those often crude. In the United States Mr. Atkins 

 has been able to prove from a series of experiments, extending over 

 several years, that in the Penobscot the salmon, Salmo safar va.r., breeds 

 every second year. I am not going in this place to enter into the 

 questions of breeding and fertility or sterility, as, prior to any reliable 

 conclusion being formed, it seems desirable that those whose duty it 



Jan. 1886. 



