THE SMELTS 
289 
was 46.5° F., at 60 feet 48° F., at 50 feet 53.75° F., and at the surface 70° F. At 
another place, at the bottom in a depth of 70 feet, an excellent smelt ground, the 
temperature was 44° F. on July 11, 45° F. at 60 feet, 49° F. at 50 feet, and 80° F. at 
the surface. The bottom was composed of gray clay. The fish caught were the 
large form of smelt, but as many of these had eaten both the adult small form and 
young translucent smelts, this suggests that they occur together at the same depths, 
although it is possible that the large smelts may sometimes ascend to lesser depths 
in pursuit of food. An occasional insect, such as an adult dipterous fly found in their 
stomachs, adds weight to this possibility, which is further supported by the fact that 
in the dusk of the evening the large smelts sometimes take the bait at a few feet 
below the surface. However, this occurs only over the greater depth and has been 
observed only when hauling in a line from the lower depth, so the smelts may have 
followed it up to the top. 
The schooling of the small form and of young smelts at and near the surface is 
described later in this paper. While it has not been observed, it is possible that the 
large smelts pursue the smaller fish toward or even to the surface. They may even 
school at the surface, but there is no evidence to that effect. 
BREEDING SEASON 
The fresh-water smelt differs very little from the salt-water form in its breeding 
habits. It ascends tributary streams in the spring of the year and the runs take 
place at night, but, of course, they are not influenced by tides, as appears to be the 
case with the salt-water species. According to Bloch (1796), the German fresh- 
water smelt spawns in March, when it leaves the lakes and ascends the rivers in 
great numbers and deposits its spawn upon the sands of the bottom. 
Reuter (1883) states of the fresh-water smelt of Finland that, like most of the 
Salmonidse, it is a wandering fish. The largest variety as a rule chooses the most 
rapid and deepest waters for spawning, while the smallest, on the contrary, spawns 
on banks in the lakes or on long shallow shores and at the mouths of rivers. 
According to Reuter’s account, the spawning times of the large and small Fin- 
nish smelts are the reverse of those forms in Maine. He said that the smaller and 
younger fish spawn earlier, at the end of March and beginning of April, the larger 
and older individuals in April and sometimes in May. The spawning period lasts 
one or two weeks, spawning taking place at night, especially during stormy weather, 
and commonly during a snowstorm. Reuter recognized no specific significance in 
the variability of size and habits, saying that the smaller varieties chiefly belong to 
lakes where there is but a scanty supply of food, but added that in the larger lakes 
and in the sea both varieties were found. 
According to Nordqvist (1910), in the northern regions of Finland the spawning 
season occurs later than in the southern districts, and that the spawning time is not 
determined by a definite water temperature. 
Of the salt-water smelt in New Brunswick, A. Leith Adams (1873) says: 
As soon as the ice breaks up and drifts seaward, sculls upon sculls of this savoury fish push 
their way up the rivers, where they bite bait readily, and are captured by nets. 
