1902 - 3 .] Dr Noel Patou on October Salmon in the Sea. 487 
The evidence afterwards obtained by Mr Morris proved that 
they had been captured in drift nets off the Berwickshire coast, at 
Burnmouth, about eight miles north of the mouth of the Tweed. 
I eagerly took advantage of this unique opportunity of studying 
some of the more important questions connected with the condition 
of such fish. 
The points most worthy of investigation appeared to be — 
I. The proportion of male to female fish ; since the evidence we 
at present possess tends to show that male fish ascend rivers in 
greatest numbers later than female fish. 
II. How do fish still in the sea compare with those which have 
already entered the river as to — 
1. Length and weight ? 
2. The development of the genitalia ? 
3. The condition of the flesh % 
Before going on to consider these points, it may be stated that 
although these fish had been repeatedly handled, sea lice were 
found on two of the twelve which were specially examined for 
these parasites, thus confirming the statement of the police that 
they were sea-caught. Again, six of the twenty-six had bile in the 
gall-bladder, indicating that the digestive organs had been in action 
at no very distant date. 
I. Proportion of Male to Female Fish. 
In all, twenty-six fish were examined. Of these, fourteen were 
male and twelve female, which gives — 
Males, 54 per cent. 
Females, 46 „ 
This large preponderance of males in these late-running fish 
supports the previous observations of Tosh, Hoek, and Miescher 
on the proportion of the sexes. I here quote the table given in 
my article on Salmon in the recent supplement to the Encyclopcedia 
Britannica , vol. xxxii. p. 392, and also the averages from the Usk 
statistics given to the Royal Commission by Mr Berrington, 
Appendices (England and Wales), p. 68. 
