By the time the spawning is over, he is 
more torn and weary than ever from his 
many battles. 
Now there is nothing more to be done 
at the nest. Nature will take care of the 
rest. The father and mother can leave. 
Most salmon spawn only once. When 
they leave the spawning ground, they 
drift down the river, wasted in body from 
lack of food, too tired even to keep their 
balance. They have done their great 
work, and they are ready to die. 
GROWING UP 
Now the tiny eggs lie in their bed of 
gravel. Something is happening to 
them. Something in them is growing. 
Between 120 and 180 days pass. An eye 
forms, then a backbone. But each young 
one still has the yolk of its egg in a sack 
under its body. These queer, shapeless 
little creatures are called alevins. 
For several weeks the alevin hides 
27 
