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•I*
,;^PECIAL APPENDED REPORTS>
I)
BY
PROFtSSOR E. E PRINCE
Dominion Commissioner of risherien
I. FLLTCTUATIOXS IX THE ABUNDANCE OF FISH
II. THE FOOD OF THE STUROEON
III. NOTES ON THE HABITS AND LIFE
HISTORY OF CANADIAN SALMON
1898
OTTAWA
CJOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU
1899
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I. FLUCTTJATI
II. THE FOOD
III. NOTES ON
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'fecial appended reports
BT
PROFESSOR E. E. PRINCE
Dominion Commissioner of Fisheries
I. FLUCTTTATIONS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF FISH
II. THE FOOD OF THE STURGEON
III. NOTES ON THE HABITS AND LIFE HISTORY OF CANADIAN SALMON
1898
A.- [
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OTTAWA
UOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU
1899
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SPECIAL REPORTS
CONTENTS
I.-PluctuatIon8 in the Abundance of Pish.
Mackerel Flsherr Page.
Depleted Flsherlet '
Flihertei on the West of Ireland..'..'.*...'.. '
Migrations of Fishes *
Causes DetrlmenUl to Fisheries— •
OTerflshlng
Disturbance and Destruction of 'spawnln'g "schooii" ] "
Natural lunemlea 12
Pemldous Chemical Influences .'..,, ^'
Destructive Physical Causes "
Blasting, Loud Reports, fto. ..*.'." ^*
Destruction of Eggs or Fr7 1^
Lack of Food ;■■■ 17
19
II.-The Pood of the Sturgeon.
Opinions of Dealers concerning Predaceous Fishes
Sturgeon not mentioned by Dr. Forbes in hi> ii.^ .,» » "J *2
Food of the Sturgeon, according to i^fnidilan. P'*'"'"'"" P'-hes 23 .
Structure Of th.DlgUuveOri^.^JJ:,',7„;"„^^^^^^^ 23
Analysis of Contents from Stomach, of sTurZ'Ls " ^'"**^" "
Abuse Of the Sturgeon Fishery ■•••• M
36
ni-Notes on the Habits and Life HUtory of the Canadian Salmon
HablUts of the Salmonlda »«***uou.
Disputed Polnu in the Life Histoid of 'tte* Saimon: .' '.'.'.'.'. ?!
Primitive CharaeterisUcs exhibited In thesalmon "
Geographical DUtribuUon of the Atlantic Salmon *'
Various Allies of the Salmon 28
The Salmonolds of BrlUsh Columbia...' .'.'..'![] 28
Successive Stages passed through during the Life Hi"«/nVJ «V li.' "« '. ^
Spawning HablU , .."..„ History of the Salmon 31 jg
38
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SPECIAL APPENDED REPORTS
FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF FISH
BY PROFESSOR PRINCE. COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. OTTAWA.
UncSSv'i^^Jl??."'!. *•''''■ ^"^^'^ *"^^^ ^''° ^"^'J^^t ^0 characteristic fluctuations.
The min^r .1 * . ^^ l^^ °^'^»"«"^« °>- disappearance of flsh has long been proverbial.
Im tTtavLrirrlT^ u? '''?:''"'' ^•""^"°>^« favourable, sometimes unfavourable.
labouL but th. V«r '"' '""' "°^ confidence, to foretell the results of his season's
mZ the vnb,niS! , '"T"'"' "" '° *^^ uncertainty which besets his efforts to
oie haid lr£r f «°"r' °' *^' ■■'""' «°^ ♦'^^ ««"• I'l^e abundance af fish on the
nh!„n^f f ^'^'''■''"y °° ^''^ o''^^'"' »>"^e resulted In those strange fluctuations
of an SlemTf'o^'fl T' '^^T'}''^'^'' '*'P^^«^'''"' ^^'^'^ ^«^'« '-""^^ ^he mos^v xTng
has tax^d the in—v T/"''°M "?' ""'' ''''''''^' economists, while their explanation
nstantes hp n.^,T Vl ^'"'^^""^ '"'° "' ''"'^^^ "« professional theorists. In some
Ih,!.^?,, I? °' *^^'* fluctuations are apparent and readily discoverable In
S en"d eS^edrffltenTfo'h"' ■*"' ''"^"" ' '"* '° '"""""^^^ »' -«- " has In the past
SpLlourhabltf orthp fl,,? T""^ ""P'y '° '^^ '"PP"^^'^ "'"t"^ movements and
"nfJl^r ^^^^^^°\}^^ flslies themselves. "The Irish coast," says an old writer
affords a remarkable Illustration of t' -nprlclous habits of fl;h. for which no satlsi
time beeTse'en'on t'hf '^'T'- ^'/ '^^ '^ ^^ ''"'^ ^''"•"^- -h'eh have no for a C
;^?n . I . ?^ '^"*"° ^""^ northern shores have suddenly reappeared and are
again taken In considerable quantities.- To attribute the reappLranTTke the dls
appearance, of any species of flsh to mere erratic tendency or wh^^B contrary to^
that we know of flsh life, as of other animal life, though so brilliant an a^Jority as Dr
Prof^sforTp'^Mart;' *''V"^\' *"« °' ^'^^ '"''''''' "« »>•« d>sUnguIshed e^^^^^^^
1 rofessor A. P. Marlon remarks : " Je crols pouvolr conclure que pour lul la sardlnp P«t
une espece absolument erratlque. n'abordant que fortultement^^ne salt sou8 quel e
ipHftf °'/*''"°^ d'ordlnalre dans la haute mer et Jusqu'aux regions les plus 6?olgn6s
JrrhomJrrdp?l'""'.''°V? ""'"^^ oc^amques. «> reprodulsairiot de ?S on
ou^ "ItwI^aflnurrrr^tl^^^^^^ 18»8. As one authority has pointed
Sshwles b^? also trn« nfTh f fl"'' J^.''* " °°* ""'^ '"""^ "' *^« ^'°«r'<=''° °>«ckerel
«M fh„' «au . ,. °' ^''^ ^"^'^^ ^"^ Norwegian Industry. As we have frequentlv
Text i'ls'^oirTp oJ.'!,S' "''"' "°^ "' '''' «PP^« <=^°P ' °°« year It 18 good and the
next It Is poor, the only difference being that we undenrtand the conditions which make
ag^od or'ai: ";^'^^°^«?f «« « »«>« better than we do the conditions tranroT':
a good or a poor season s nsning. The total catch, including what was landed fresh"at
6.
New ^ork and other imlntB during the spring tlsl.lng. and at Olouceiter Newport and
BoMoD and other New Kngland port, during the mm.mer. wai .careely above seventeen
thouHnnd ImrreU. Not u.ore than a half-do.en of the seventy vesseU tit have com
pr.Hed the OloueoHter fleet have had a ren.uneratlve year', work The ma orltv mveToTt
money The 1oj,h falls upon men and owner, alike.-' The phe„o:Jna St e re on y
capricious and InexpllcaMe to the Ignorant, and many fact, which appear Ireg.dur and
abnormal to the ordinary observer, are, to the man of science, regular a rne essnry
and belong to a recognized order, being subject to known laws and conditions
The study of tlsherles, as a department of exact research, has been one of the last to
iH. taken up by trained sdentlHts. and as ,et the progress made cannot perhaps be
con.pared to that In other lines, such as fon.stry. n.lnlng. or agrlcultu.ryet the patient
1 r :Zl it""" :H:'^'r-^' "'^""*'' ■" ^"'""^ '^°""'^'"« •-•« ylelde,, most remaSbS
and far-rea(hlng results. In some cases, our Ideas on fishery matters have been revolu-
ionized, and certainly many common opinions prevalent a.nougst fishermen regardZ
such ques Ions as the spawn of fishes and the habits of the young have been etirely
overturned The causes of abundance, or of .lepletlon, are causes wl!lcl Irbe co S
aHses les f, ,n r nr i ^"^7'"f"f' "" '" «'»' """'•« of M,ose engaged In the fisheries
?el It of ,.il , "'7>;vatlon than of that power of discrimination which Is a
result of rigid technical training. It needs only an ordinary power of observation to
""t" a .mdtltude of possible causes for any pheno.nenon. but to ellm nn e tl e seconJary
and nonessential fron. the necessary and potent causatlye clrcum.stanc s b yoml tie
common pn.clica Intelllgc.nce. A few ,eurs ago It was\ny dutv to officii ly make in
been declining off the New Urunswlck shore, came In for mv special attention I
obtained a large amount of evidence from flshern,en. very old and experienced men .miny
them but what struck me about the evidence and the proffe ed InfornMMon was
m. . wrsm.'! TnllJur "' I'" "';"""r °' '"'°"'^"^«^- '^"^ »- «"P-"l>-.dance of I'th
.V nnt n t, , ^ "'" "' o-xplanatlous for a single Isolated fact, that any person
'Mcpt a fishery expert, would have been hopelessly dazzled bv the excess of I kM
riiat was the question, and the local fishermen, all men of Intelligence, observation and
experience, offered no less than sixteen separate and distinct solution^ of the p oblem
the joung fish have been so seriously destroyed In the so-called sardine weirs You
canno have abtmdance of adult fish If you decimate the young Immature fish further
LTVai.^eS"!;,''" "•"^♦'•"^%^^ '^'"'-'^y Of «'ftlng evidence of fhls natu and to sTow
(1.) Young herring destroyed wholesale In sardine weirs
(2.) Overfishing, especially by United States fishermen.
(3.) Driven off by Increased steamboat trafflc.
(1.) Too many drift nets have diverted the herring schools,
(o.) Shrimp food has disappeared, which attracted herring
(«.) Mere caprice has caused them to leave.
(7.) Winds dislodged and cast ashore the herring spawn
!o ! l^u T ''°"°"' •""' changed, altering the bays and Inshore grounds,
and thrown aw^j"' '"' "'"'""' "' '"' '"''' ''" ""^^ ^"''°*'^'^^ ''' ^"'■P'"^ ^<^"'°S' ^«Pt"red
and^fm^otS^riTawn'"''' '"''"'''' ''' ''' ^^«"«^' ''°"" '^ '•'-- "^ -^<^- «-^«.
(11.) Saw-dust and factory pollution polsone ^ the waters.
(12.) Gurry rotting on the sea bottom after hake fishing Is over
(13.) Bad smell from offensive lobster bait drove away herring
(14.) Phosphorescence of decayed bait in lobster traps frightened herring.
the shire ^^^'^ °' '"''^' ^"^ *° '°°'*''°^ ''''""°« ^"'^ '^'^'^*°S °' '°^«t«^ t™P« ^^ong
I '
(HI.) Long linos left by fl«h«'rnien for two weeki to two monlhi. Ai there Is one hook
to every fathom, nnd 400 to 000 hooks on n " trawl, " qunntltleg of hooked tlHh illt-d and
decayed and did the injury.
All these reasonH— some of them most plausible and lnt;enlouB, and doubtless having
a basis In fact, I Krouped under two headH, and whichever of these two heads embrace*
the true explanation will enable a solution and remedy to be reached. The reasons put
forth, no less than sixteen In number, Imply that the herring, formerly plentiful, have
been destroyed, and that the abundant schools no longer exist anywhere : or that they
Rllll exist but have been driven to mher resorts and cannot, theref' c, be taken alonu' the
nay of I'undy shores of New Brunswick. This Is, Indeed, characteristic of all evidence
offered upon the question of depletion. On the one hand, parties Interested affirm
that decline and gradual externilnnllou Is the true explanation while, on the oIIkt hand,
It Is claimed that the fish supposed to be reduced In numbers are really as plentiful as
ever, but have migrated to other regions and cannot be found In such numbeis. If at all,
about their former haunts. It Is true that In no department of uattiral history has accurate
Inforunillon I n so nicagre as In the science of Hsh and fisheries, for the custonuiry
habits and scnsonal movements of the flsli coidd only be accurately followed In the
depths of the sea, and In nu)re or less remote areas In rivers and lakes, under comlltlons
of the most obscure and dilHcult character. AVhen the Hlgldanders of Scotland fancied
that the herring deserted a certain coast because. In some strife of the diius. blood had
been shed, or when, as Dr. C. I). Undham related, the Celts, In an obscure parish In the
west of Ireland, declared that the schools of herring departed when a new clergyman
announced his Intention of tithing the produce of the s<'a, and never show.'d any sl;;n of
their presence during his Incumbency, these supposed explanations were not more base-
less than many which have been formulated In the reports and conclushtus of important
fishery commissions. The causes of success or decline In any particular fishery nuiy be
natural and normal or they may be due directly or Indirectly to human agency, 'i'liey
may arise from conditions of which the student of economics can take cognizance, or
they may arise from conditions of a wholly different character, and nuty even be de-
pendent upon the rnclnl and social characteristics of the pi'ople. Rut while to such
causes and conditions the rise and fall of fisheries may. In many luMtiinces, be attributed,
the most momentous of all are those which are due directly to natural or biological con-
ditions, so often complex and profound, but nlwa.vs capable of being Investigated, with
the hope of idtlmate solution, like all other problems In the domain of nature. When a
particular region, fresh water or marine, Is unduly strained and the tl..hery resources
seriously Impaired I)y fishing operations pursued to excess, there must follow a depletion
which may be permanent or only transitory. Thus, a large maritime population may be-
come dependent mainly upon one particular fishery resource, and the natural limits of
a healthy Industry being overpassed, a period of depression, or even of total exhaustion,
may supervene. Lobster and oyster fisheries In various countries are a striking examjde
of this last-named type. The oyster and. Indeed, the mussel fisherljs of the Uritlsh
Islands have reached a state of such absolute iiuprodc.ct!', enefs that the markets can
only 1)0 kept supplied, and that Inadequately, by Importations from oth-^r countries. That
common shell-fish, the mussel. Is the principal bait used by the line fls?: rinen In Britain.
30,000 tons are required yearly by the Scottish fishermen, and for this s-jpply dependence
Is largely placed upon Importations from Holland and other countries. Oysters which, .W or
00 years ago, sold for 30 cents to 40 cents per hundred, cannot be had now for less than
$l..'»Oper hundred, and those of the poorest quality, while the best Whitstabie oysters often
sell at over ten dollar a hundred at the principal oyster stores. The shad fisheries In the
maritime provinces of the Dominion furnish another notable case of depletion, due
mainly, possibly due solely, to overfishing. It has been argued that In the case of the
shad the decline of the fishery Is due to pollution of Its feeding grounds, and It has been
maintained that the extensive flats In the upper portions of the Bay of Fundy abounded
with the "shad-worm," a favourite food of the shad, but that saw-dust and other pollutions
drifting down the streams of the adjoining counties (In Nova Scotia and New Brunswick)
have covered these areas and destroyed the food. Certainly the Bay of Fundy shad
formerly netted in immense quantities in the fall, were fat and well fed, and apparently
looalltles to whrch these 5sh now rotrt p ' ?kV^ ^^ ''''° ''**'" **» »*»'"* «"* '^"^ "tl'er
to the contentkn stated above tToi^h; Tl ?"^ " ^""'^ '■"««°" *° «"'^<=»' ^e'8"
spawning shad took Se^rthespS nn JS^tt 1 '^"°''''' .*'."' "'^'^^''^ destruction of
Not only were the mlt^^SlT^ .f " '"""* emptying Into tne Bay of Fundy.
abundance of flsh a'Lrthe state of thp^^ lY ^''^^ 'IT*''"*' *" '^^ ^'^^ ^'^^ ^PP'^r^"*
re.B.U declined "moLU ,o S fim^^Th ^?« """"^f °' " """'"^ "
industry eXDressPrt (i,a r„-,=^ „J* ■ ' '' *"^ practical men engaged in the
for th VeSne wtf voSeered^r^^ ""' '''' ^''^^ ^"^"'^'''^ ^^P^'''^^^ >-«-«°^«
French the lnefflcie„ov^?f th ^'^•^•''«*''- "'^ "^^ t^« periwinkle Ashing carried on b; the
efflclen sear an^ m fltLf , ° "°^ *''^^'' ^«°* "^ navigation experience, their In-
above really touched the essentlalToSs°whLh the'^on..tsronl*'r:f:rd"t;r^^^^^^
9
« „- 1?^'"^'''"* ^"''^ ''' perseverance on the part of those engaged In them and thlM
1^^ .hi "^ '1" 'T' °' '^' ^''"^ °' '^' B'"l8h 8.,.a fisheries In the German dce^S dSr!
irLln '"'""'ll'' K °*"'^^- ^^'^^ ^'^^ «"P«^">^ enterprise of the D^tch enabled them to
graduaUy usurp the business which Lad hitherto been controlled by EngUsh flsiemen
it :Z^"'T exploitation. In addition to the factors Just refe d U fa^^^^^^^ wS S
it 18 needless to sny are extrinsic and readily remediable, there are others wh eh have
been revealed by the arduous labours of biologists and scientific fishery experts Thele
factors are Intrinsic and Involved In the preservation or disturbance of that h„i„nn^ «^
ZrZl't •' " "'' r*' ^'^"^'"'^ ^° *^^ --''^ «' witeis as ^SoHL surface r^
land Whether or not the Injuries arising from these causes are remediable Is another
question, but, at any rate. It Is possible to decide whether restoratJvrstej" are feasible
If once we are able to name the cause or causes ""rauve siepj are feasible
m Jl" .7^" to premise that one of th- ost Important conclusions reached bv the
nvestlgatlons of experts in recent yc. . Is that all Important fishes are local
Ploded Tu /'' f' '''" '""* ^'"^ "^'^'^''^ «^«^ grea? distances has been ex
ploded. It Is becoming more and more apparent that thev affect thPir «I„
flrs"irtrh?i "^^ 'r' ^"'^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^''^^^^^ uiot or 1:^ HSJ^?: zi
fishes like the herring and mackerel are by no means the erratic wanderers which
they were at one time thought to be. The movements of the schloTare In^pl?
mainly from deep water to shallow, and back again. The herring ishery on the
east coast of Britain which was long thought to clearly establish tLthlL ,
tensive migrations from the North Pol! (as Pennant said Vtrmoret^^^^^^^^^ ^It^s
of southern England and back again. Is now seen to prove precisely the onooste it ^-
true that the herring fleet begin off the Orkneys and sLtlands earfy in the summtr U
month after month, move south, finding schools of herrl^fat everrsucceX^ ;^^^^^^^^
until the fishery ends off the Norfolk coast in the fall. S as evetJTsL man kLowf h^
herring found In certain localities are peculiar to those localltle8,^lther In s^^e 8h7pe*;r
flavour and are clearly not merely i^ombers of one great army, movng southwards
Were It not so. local varieties of herring would be an impossibility As one critTc has
remarked, were Pennant's theory of a vast school traversing thousands of mUes of ocean
a rue explanation It would be essential that this moving host should, at certain /easoT
make a return migration to the polar seas, but such a northerly migration has neve;
been observed. Were fishes of great economic importance thus nLadlc! Sey wouM be
independent to a large extent of local conditions, and would be little affected by drcum^
stances potent over only limited areas, yet we know that the contrarv is the f«?t n^^
that herring, mackerel, haddock and cod fisheries may be a marked s^ccLl in ll"
and a failure in another and that these states of plenty or of S^on annear ^o^ ^'^
erratic, whereas they should be widespread and gradual or uniform werfthe school^
common property, as it were, of an entire length of coast The ZZt\la^ !? , !u
fisherman will distinguish, at a glance, a fish from a pSicuUr locaSy esSd^^^^^^^^
certain species. It Is not difficult to relegate a St. John River salmon and nnaf.u
Miramlchi and one from the Restigouche. to their respectirwaT^rafter caref.?r '
paring examples Even the herring of the Scottish coast areT^ cases fSyX
tlngulshable. A menhaden caught on the coast of Maine can. with facUltv E h 1'
gulshed from a Long Island menhaden, a Chesapeake or a Florid! Lb"" ertaL'n
descrlbable characters, easy to perceive, but difficult to define. The DresencTnf Mi
crustacean parasite In the mouths of southern menhaden and Ita on,,«L^i Z .
those of the north, is a very strong argument In favorif TocaMlSion^^^^^^^^^
of menhaden schools. That the same schools of menhaden return y-Safte*' ^^*'
same feeding grounds is very probable. The schools in the southern waters'do Vo^i rl
10
» .be l,we« .e^tliuTS: o'clt^c,":^ Kenrrn;" XeT.^^ X"//:!'
barrels, as compared with the previous season's record of 282 000 hnrrli; ^k '^
acquainted with the fishery claim that this serious fallln/STir, ^^°^^ '^^"
rZir,-L\tTand"mr.^^^^^^^^^^^^^
:r:,ratrcSt'3rhr :? rh^a^%:;Sd:;7r oT^^^^^
depletion must rapidly ensue. Whl It must Se adr^t?ed t^!f t^ ^'™'"''^ *' "'^"^P^'
Whole, is inexhaustible, yet established L^er'LLfc'nfl'n'd to speclaTy"^^^^^^^^^ ''' "
and such areas will bear the exhausting process of utllizathm oniv to 1 ^.f f ^^, "?"'■
their reproductive and recuperative capacities will be too seveTiVtoLr N^^^^
exhaustion of an area leave space for the IncomlnR of schools from ntho. <J°es the
rounding localities have their special schools too. loL races thov ml ^5 uT ^"''■
accordance with hereditary Instincts they remain t^lie to t^p^f n^^ ''^"^•'' *°^' "»
normal conditions have no reason to forsake such areal in oLr7 "'"'' ^°^ "°'^"''
areas more or less distant. Just as on the'and each area has fs own ZT.' ^'^''''^
an entomologist can often determine the locality of a beetle or I buTte flt h '^n?' ''"^
subordinate local features, so there is every evlLcefrr holding that wIlrLl^^^""^^
even those regarded as nomadic and extremely migratory cS to th»nJff "' ^'''•
they were born and reared. Not only of crusta'coanlS^e Xti 'nVlh L? "J'''
movements are less active and erratic, but of fishes like mackerefand cid. able°to
11
Tarz:rofi7ZTzz zvi '"t '^^^ r^"^"""^ «"« «-««'"- »' these
and decaying flsheri;s. Even pecles like the bS ZV "" I? "nn^lstakeably depleted
stretches In and adjacent to the Bav "^ ""•^^'^ " • " '^housana Islands, the prolific
=t:rs ,s ar r ~SE£?~ ^^^^^
portion of the year only, achieved the same evil r^lnir t1 ^ ' "^^^ '^"''*°^ '
Goode said that It could not withstand thftr^etend^urSS fU^^fls^hlnrHe^r"
destro" rtLTeZLT r wr;r ^^^^ rr ?r ^ ^« n^- " -l^entS to
pound-net fishing. It Is doubUess true that the fisheries In a Xr,"^ n/"'^ ''""'""'"^
the immediate region In which they are p^Lecuted Se cod aLd hiZ ^ "^^l ^'''''''
for upon a single bank until the local supply Is exhausted •' * "*^ ""' ^'""'^
No doubt there Is great truth In Professor Marion's claim that the PTnia„„.i
movements of migratory fish may be found, as he says InVegLd tf tKrl^. /'''
great impulses, hunger and reproduction : " La sardine;- he savs " est .i«t- iA"..^"
ranee comme dans rocfian. un polsson nomade. dont les d6pkcem;ntrdofve^^^^
ment 6tre determines par les deux grandes canse- qui re'l'^Z V='^ -^^
les autres esp^ces. la recherche constan^c .e la nourritL et^le^^WlSlo^X^^oSe^^
12
«..":,m"I2,:.' rr,?r':jL"::LT.'«"- r\rr '"'"'"" "»-'">»• '-
sell at $10 per barrel * '^^' *^o"Sh the molluscs readily
Of nmT:: :Vi:TC"ti'TT'; r^^^^T^^"^ '« - "^-^ ^-^^^'o- -^thod
immediately prior to It Two remarkSpx^f h'^ ^^^° '° *^« ^'' °' ^P-^wnlng or
ash w.i;r4i"'.gTr irx p»™r trif^iT? ^" """"* "'«■' "">
«Lnt^ ^' ^*""°'*'' '°'^°™ *'^P'- ^'^Slng. hook and line though formerly remunerative
enough were comparatively harmless compared with the total and completely exterm^n
atmg character of the purse-seine which was used out In the open LTnTecLlv whl
the mackerel finds the appropriate conditions ; clear, rlppl ng sea water Jsoml Tnth
modicum of heat, all necessary for the Incubation of these most delicate floating ova
The disappearance of that small smelt-Uke salmonold, the capUn, from consfderabl.>
tTo^". °' T r"' "' T^^ "'^ '^ ""^'""^^^ *^ '^«^'^"<=«- methods o??ap'ure
ITJl '■'^" • '^^ '*!"" '^°'' *°'^°''« '^'°°« *^« Labrador and northern coasts of the
rln^, """"^'T' *° °''"" *" '""'' ''^ *^«*'- '^^°"^"« f«°'J the capnn When
the capim no longer appeared the schools of cod disappeared too. Now ^one
the Shores In question, especially along the estuary of the River St Tawrencf
traps or weirs built of fine brush or wlckerwork were placed at every available noTnt
These became filled to excess with hosts of caplln which crowded In with Ih a^
tide and were left high and dry when the tide 'rec^ed^S.^^T^rfal^ibiriUtllVh^'^^^^
used for manure to some extent, but visits to these weirs or pechr.'> showed thatfor „n!
ton of dead fish thus utilized twenty tons were left to rot'anu wastraway Masses
of decayed caplln several yards deep were thus piled up day by day llvo vinl l^J
merely the grossest and most criminal waste of fish, tut the production nfJSl * ,
ing pollution in the neighbourhood and the cutting off o suLrs^f natural ^^^^^^^^^
brought the valuable cod almost up to low water mark So eagerwere the s^^^^^^
cod !n their que.t for caplln th.t large fi«h were contlnualirru^lg on shore and 1^^^
left stranded when the caplln were moving along. It may be added Sa the capl
13
dnrlflfaV'""! ^K ^°*!' "f"''"^ ^''"^d the "capim school •• as a rule, touched the Labra-
fhl Tnr. „ ?.' f" '""' "' •'"°'' "'^"^ ^'"^tashquan, and moved east to disappear from
Ibsence Of ,r° ,'*"■■ 'V^^^ ""' '"-'" '' ''''' «^'^""' ^^« "^PP^^^"*. and the total
Boh^rr, n/ ^''^.^'^P"" |"«y »>« "^eg^ded as a sufficient explanation. Oddly enough the
ZtJ^ , S'^'/^^'f ^""^ '^^^ ^^'^^'^^ ^°^ •^'^°y y^-^r^ "It the Magdalen IslanJs. ap-
peared la 1898 along the south shore, and the local tlshermen regarded these as the
north shore or Labrador caplln which had erratically forsaken their usual resorts. This
Is wholly Improbable an.' It Is far more likely that the conditions which were unfavour-
able for the incubation and hatching of the Labrador caplln (whether due to natural
causes or to offal poUutlon, abnormal destruction and (he like) were favourable on ,he
Magdalen Islands and the fish once more became numerous there
The gaspereaux (also known as alewlves or klacks) attracted the cod Inshore In
western Nova Scotia In a way similar to that of the caplln schools referred to, and the
disappearance to a considerable extent of the cod from the littoral waters south of the
Gut of Canso Is no doubt largely due to the destruction of the gaspereaux, a destruction
due to causes described on another page. The well-known case of the Dublin Bay had-
docks doubtless comes under this category. In the early seventies the Dublin haddock
schools disappeared for four or five years and all kinds of explanations were adduced,
but the question of undue destruction of the spawning tlsh, or the loss of ova due to
storms or other causes was not thought of. Some such unfavourable circumstances
no doubt were the cause, for the haddock again appeared in numbers and the Dublin
fishery resumed Its former prosperity.
Natural Enemies.-The life of all flshes Is a perpetual warfare with enemies, and the
carnage of the sea apart from man's destructive operations exceeds that amongst the
terrestrial tribes. The Royal Commission on British Fisheries, 1863. attempted to gra-
phically picture this slaughter by natural enemies In the case of the herring. Allowing
to one cod only two herring per day for seven months In the year, and assuming that
an average fisherman takes not less than fifty cod In that time, It appears that the cod
caught by the 40,000 or 50,000 Scottish fishermen If left In the water would have eaten
more herring than the whole catch of the herring fleet. There were In 1861 40 000 tons
of cod and ling taken In Scotland representing, say two millions and a half of codflslios
and the calculation Is easily made which establishes the contention that the herriu-
fishermen take but a fraction of the fish which migrate along the sho-es, and are dally
and hourly destroyed by pi-edacious foes. Were not this destruction to continue " the
population of the sea," as one writer has remarked, " would soon become so Immense
taat, vast as it is, It would not suffice for its multitudinous Inhabitants." An incre-ise
in the number of sharks and dogfishes in a particular area may have the most baneful
results, entailing not merely the wholesale slaughter of valuable fish, but their disper-
sion and flight to other areas, and frequently extensive Injury to the acts and other fish-
ing gear. Over thirty years ago while mackerel were schooling in vast numbers In
Massachusets Bay, great schools of blue fish, 16 to 20 pounds weight, suddenly made
an Incursion and devoured In quantity the smaller fish. The blue fish had been scaroe
for many years, and their unexpected advent had a most disastrous effect upon the
mackerel fishery. Possibly a scarcity of food elsewhere had caused these larger fish
to forage in this way.
The splendid fishing grounds off Grand Manan, N.B., deteriorated some years ago on
account of the Inroads made by sharks, dogfish, &c. An official report (1893) states the
matter as follows :-~
" The decrease In the cod catch has been gradual for the last ten years, which can
only be attributed to the marvellous Increase In the schools of dogfish and sharks in the
Bay of Pundy.
" The herlng fishery Is one-third less than last year, not from a scarcity of herring,
but from the xnaunev la which they have been harassed by the dogfish, pollock and
silver hake. Herring have been driven ashore by pollock and silver bake ou many occa-
14
The pollock ijave beeu an waii #„ i ^ ..
the principal has bee. rrun^t^Tl 'a^ZreT ""' -o-n^ents' o7 flls onV f
the sea water. The absence of herrings from Z a .''"'"^ °' "^^S^" '"'ngled wl h
mented upon. The minute crustacean fife Z.ht " ''"' '^"^ ^^^° frequently com
be added, to the vast schools o hmlng ,s eitiel? f^""'' '^"^ «° ^««e°tlal. t may
yet herring do not appear to resort V„fh„L.^ ''^''^ '" *^« <^«''J northern waSJs
lantlc the waters, adjacent to this continent ^n-^f"!' '''''''^^ °° ""^^ ««de8 S the A !
oont,ne t. herring abound. The It am c is more rlchr/''"'' '"'''''' «°^ ♦^^ ="™P«an
and this comparative lack of oxygen is no ^onhw, ''^ «y»enated than the Arctic seas,
ring from migrating thither. Experilnt t? .-"''''' '^*='°'- '° ''et^rring the ^^^^^^
upon temperature of the absorbt^ve pTwt of,.?"''': ^''"""^t^ated the dependence
inportant la determining the amount of^tmosoher.c'''""; ^^^'^-^rlc pressure too 1^
Its oxygen far more rapidly than its nltrLen Tn f. ^ """ "^^"■•^ed. and as this air loses
water, these deeper strata are of nece sUv ^ne f •"!? ^^°^'^« P«««a»e to deeper strata of
by moving currents, unable to suj^ort he hThIr f "^ o^JSenated. and unless disturbed
by obsorvatlons in the Swedish fisher « ?^LV*'™' °' """°^' "f*^- As was sSown
certain flsh was almost solely inS^«, T ""'/'' ^^'''"=' ""' '''' "«»»! schools of
oxygen pouring Into the Baltic Sea from tJ ^''"'"' "^ '"'' '''"""'^^ ot water rich "n
as mackerel and herring, nu-^t be Sy'^'ontrolieTr- .^'"^' "'^™*°^^ fi^'^-' «« b
waters more or less inclosed or separated from thl "" *^''' conditions, especially in
That artificial chemical Impurilles dfln I ''^'° °''^"'" "^•^"«-
atic m the science of the fisheries. Id mai'y "ofTh '''""'V"^ '^^^"'"^ '^'"-t -iom-
no doubt succumb to pollutions poured frmfrl, '^ '^"""•"^"'^ °'-««'"^cd species
pollutions, if they spread over spawn'n' h^^ '1'' ^"' "^"'^^ ""^^ the like. These
favourite resort of the delicate fry i^"t earfv',?: "^''/ '"'^""^ "^^«« ^^'»^'eb are t, e
reaching injury ; but actual observations 11'?'^' '''''' ''''^'^°^«' ">»«' ^e a far!
nocuous nature of such impurities so tTJlT. ? '^^"^""^trate the comparatively in-
Hke adult salmon. That a rlv rlike tl e Tavt% " '°'"'''' '"' ''"'''" -Igrato^'fllh
own a.s one of ,;.e most famous and proiTflc of '" '^'"^'f ^ '^""'^ ^^'^"""e to hoKl its
arge population, pouring out the fifth and w„«f ''^"''' "''^""^'^ Dundee, with Its
industrial cen.re is but a few miles from if« t ^^sociately with a busv and dhlv
Ihe Aroostook River lu thp <«tQt
River, still has its quota of salLn aUhl;!?^'' ",r^^"*"''^ «^ ^^^ Canadian St Joha
mm waste poured in ail al^X C Jfo ir7?"f '°° °' ^'- •^°'^° ^^'t^. and the sat
seem sufficiently inimical, while in the Xnl. Fredericton and up to Woid stock wo J^
sitied not meely by the ' greater acu'muiS^^^^^^^ f "^^« "^ " anything "ti'
dams apparently of an Impassable charcter Jb/« f '' ''"' ^^ '^^ "'^'^tlon ot m?il
few years ago after it had been corm^nly held Jha i'^"" "'t '"'' *° ""' <'«"°ted. an" "
fine examples were seen leaping near Houlton „„? ? '*'' ^^^ ^'''' ^'^""y destroyed
the Canadian tributaries, like the Tobin?,! .f ^ migrated as far as Presqu'Isle in
primitive favourable conditions stlHoS an'dTe^saT "^ "^"""^ •^''^--' - tJ^e
0. th^.lves in the midst of .the eongenl. rrol^-r^orf roT^ ^^ ^
15
.«™^.^n l ^*"'" C«««e..-Reference has already been made to unfavourable dr-
cumstance. affecOng flsh-llfe which are of a phyalcal rather than a che Jc^'natu e
The two are Interwoven as a rule, but In themselves they are entirely ZlnetThu.
eSot^nln ''^"f*"" '" ^'''''^^'^ ^"'^ » ^»«« «' glU-rakers. wUl hardly have Ijer"
Jlf ,rf^ r r °' '^'''P"'* ^•''"- ^ P'^^^''"' ««»> »"^« tt>e sturgeon however Is at
ZVnTyS.^'''''^' """^ "''"''^ °" "<^'=«"°* o' the fermented saw-dusMjged Jt
n! ^^'^ r'n''.^*''' 1"' °°'^ •" ^""'^'^ *° •'y *»>« """"«» '"O"*'^ of the sturgeon wS feed
lnd?hP,f« h""""' ''n* '' ""'* •'""'^'y '" "« «''^*^t» "PO" the sand-shrlmps HvTr mu le 8
the hprri.i ^r'f.^'^'"^"'' '^ '"«*'y constitute the food of that fish The Lrne of
It hm H *. "^u^' ^^^''^'' '° ^^^ ^^''^ 0' I'^orth. Scotland, has been attrlbu ed U>
the hill drainage which has affected the specific gravity, purity, and temperature Tf the
sZrZn'^V''', "Tl"^' ^^P^^'""^' •^^^^^ted this Shallow estuaySLut for ^yeLsalo
IZV . ?'' °' •'^'"''"^ "°'°* '° '"' "^ «^ort t'^-e. but not in the^r former "mmens;
numbers showing that the physical conditions and possibly the food affeXd rreby
are detrimental and drive the fish out again. Aquatic vegetation is. of course affected
iS^of S^t U?e* Tflsrcuu' ^ r'"°"°^'^ •^'"^"^^^' perishes withThediLp^t?:
ance or plant life. All flsh culturists are aware of the necessity of encouraelnT the
growth Of suitable water plants, on which minute water insects Hve andTuUlply. m
nfcllrv ,r.,"rh ^^ 'f 'f "^ *'" ^™^'°« '^*>- ^° *^«"t ponds is this especlkl J
necessaiy. It is the same in rivers. In lakes and in the sea. If the -Mant life be im,,
rlousy affected flsh-life suffers too. What hope is there of the exlslenc; of fl h in ^i^^r
polluted by poisonous servage. &c. ? The appalling state of things described in the fol-
r'^f 7 r'' r^.r''"'"^ *« ^^^ ^^-^^ «'^«^ "> ^^^^ ^^^^^ ot Englanlsho;" 4 what
an extent these deadly agencies may poison and contaminate fine salmon and trout rivers-
fllfh?n„ nH r*°* 7^''" *'" ''''''' ^«« discharged, the clean water from above and the
TvXnJr"" ', 'T'' '"""^ "^ ^^^° '"""^"^ ''^' by «'«»« for several yards tm
TnLT ^ f '"'"ingled. the result being a black turbid stream, on whose surface
Slack m'ur"th.r«r',°' *'' "''*''■ """''''''' ^^ ^'^^ ^^^^ -^««^ •'O""- -"« 'del
black mud. thickest wherever an eddy or a pool facilitated precipitation, but always
entirely covering the natural bed of the rlv.r. This sediment was exactly similar tr he
Zl:'lt ""^^ '°"r*'' '° *'^ ^°"°^^-^- ^»^'« «tate of things existed aUg the enU^e
length of the channel of the river below the outlets referred to above." (Prom Mr C K
Flyers' Report, Salmon Fisheries. &c.. of England 1895)
r^Jf'' iV'^^^'TT: ^*'*'''"°* °' *^''* Increasingly 'valuable fish, the sturgeon, the late
whi hl't'rn'r ' °"' '""* *'' ""''' ^'°"°^ ''''''' «"^«'«t upon sman animalcuhe!
which in turn live upon minute forms of plant life. Even the sturgeon are found to
devour large quantities of small plants. "The story of the life of a sturgeon (as the
author named pointed out) is seen to be bound up with the lives of vast myriads of or'
ganlsms In no way related to it In the system, but only as sources of nuTriment It is
quite certain that if the minute life upon which the young sturgeons
this ttr'^ exterminated, the sturgeon would also become extinct, 'it f o'llows'frZ
th s that whatever affects the relative abundance of the minute life of rivers and
^tiwiies where sturgeons are found, must also affect the survival and abundance of the
th» nh'^'f"? ^"! "l'^"^^ ^^° ""^^ to the effect of cold and barometric pressure upon
be reSreS' '°°*"'*' '' T'' *° ^^'^*^ "^'^ »^^- '^'^^ «'°°»°t of oxygen Lsolved m^y
th« tr 1 ^ mw^mx^m by unfavourable physical conditions. It has long been known
that herring as a rule make their appearance on the coast when the wateMs about 55-
P. or rather 555 F., and on the east coast of England it was held that the Yarmouth
schools only came in when the Incoming stream from the Atlantic Ocean had swept
round Sutherlandshire and Joined the North Sea waters reducing the temperature of the
east-coast waters to the desired 55}. So long as the temperature Is higher so long the
schools of herring remain In deeper water. The surface temperature has not. as was
at one time thought, n dir^'ct infiuenee on the movements of the herring though relatively
warm currents appear to deter and relatively cold temperatures seem to attract the
I
16
Of ashes are too complex and numerous to de^nJ^r! ?! '»?^^"^''»' «"d distribution
Chemical results dependent thero^ are S S mn / "' ""'"" »^"P«™l"re and the
acter. viz., density <s hardly less so Rnt in .* *"P°'^*'>"'^« "'« '"rther physical char-
thermal. If the incoming waterfTomtre S^H ?'°'' "''°" ^""^'"""^ ^'>«™«^«> ani
the North Sea) be of grearSensltv a ?L "^ (reverting to the herring question In
mixture with the less'ait'rd fess ^1 JZ .^ V' r°"""''''* "'*""' ^' '^ '^^
temperature, and as observations have shown th„7 „L A. ™^" °'"'»° ^'» ^«'«« '^^
is found to be the surface temDeraturLth^T. ^"' ^''^ """^'^ °' ^"S»st 551° P.
herring. As It Progresses thrS^b^tomrertrni^r"';'"'^ '''"'"''''"' '°^ ♦^^
ing up columns which mingle with the wnrTl I ^ *"'"'* "^ ^* ^^""^ »*'^«« •'«»<1-
schools of herring out In defper water ar.JnT. ..''? '"''''' ""'^ '° *•>'« ^"y the
and great catches are madeTthe ticlnltv o Jh^" f."'"' ""''"'' ^"'''^ P^^^*^'""*.
the bottom." The fact that fishes ala rule nol' ^"''^"^ °' ^"^t^'' ^•^"'"S "P 'rom
(the sensitive lateral line) enable/L to uXslVh "'T °° ""''' «"^^ °' «^« ^'"^y
Chemical changes profoundly affeS them But [fZ . T }'"'^''''^'^^' densities and
conditions, favourable for deposing aTd h!tch L 2 ^" '°''^°"'° *^"* '» '« *^^««
microscopic animal life necessary for aduufnn^ "J't "' """" "" «"'"''''« '^^ *»>«
The regular migrations of flsT^s affected bvofavr^f '?' I^"' "^ ^'■^"^' Important,
their meaning unless their blolog cal sig^flcance 'on^ n ''""'"''' '""•'"""'« ^°«« «»
into account. We owe to Sars an ngelJoTs explanatJa; 7ZT"°; ''"^ '^ '""^ *'^''«»
current, and the temperature chances unontho ah? J ^^"'"^ °' meteorological,
movements but the numbei of herr ngThlch annp„ ''' °°* ""'""'^ *''« P"^^"'^^ «^ *»>«
butlon of minute Crustacea esneoS./*^^"' '° "^ specified locality. The dlstrl-
by the weather and w rd^eSet'ltely ^^^^^^ "^"^^^ '' -^""'^^•^ -ainly
Unger where appropriate food ibfunds I^d thT ^^ ^T'' '^^' ^""'°^ ^'^<>o^^ ^111
in the littoral fishing grounds earHeJ than thnl °\"''f *,'" '"''°'^ ^^^^''^ ^'» ^^Ive
movement coastward which is annual lo 1 Ih? '""""f '"'^^"'^ °"* '° «'« «ea. The
approximate date each seasoi some 1^ ZleTZlV^! "T '''^ '' '*''""* ^'^^ ««'"«
attaining ripeness. Hence the .earlv r^n! . , V°** ™*" °' ^'^^ »«"•«»' Ash are
food and stay longer near the ^oast are in'^iir"^ V!'^'' "■•" ''^^«'=^'^* *<> «'^»°dant
those that were more remote from this Semifu? IZT'^'r^ °' ^^"" '^"^'"y «>«°
exhaystlng Journey to make. ThrearLer fish t^^^Tv^'K^^^ ""'' '^^'^ ^ '°°e^'-' "°'«
the fjords and sounds. In other words tS'.S-; ^„^'''* '" P'''^*''**^ '"^'»>er '"to
and safer result than In the opposltrcas; when th'/hl" ^'''^, ^ '""^'^ »'«"«^- ^cher.
near the outermost coast, and is much thi'nir L? '"* °°'^ '"^'"'''"^ ^""^ a season
caslonally a small schoolls chasernear tie L„. S T" «'^'^"«^«^- ^^^^ when only oc
flehery may therefore yield a very different re.n.^ '"««/«»>«« "^ P'^y- The herring-
has year after year been outsldrthe co^st aL has t'^'" 'I S' '"""^ '""^^ "^ ^^'•'•'"B^
ones. The final cause of theirreg^iaruf ,„ 1, 1^ r** *^^ '"'"^ *»"'*°"*y «' yo"°«
be sought m the changes of weather fur 'Vn„7.^^^^^^ ^'''^^^ """^^ *^«>'-«'«re
sea, not so much during theTh.'g'sersras durin'^'T,™*"' "' *'" ^'^*^'- '° *•>« «»^«
during the preceding aulumn and summer ^ *''' '''* "' *^" y«"' particularly
-^r^^^^"llrT:mt^^^^ -responds with that of the
study of the past. For the present TcannJL^ ^T 5"'"'* observations than by the
It is well known that salmoSTnge; llZZiLT, '''''' " *^*°^ '^ ^''''''''■
is favourable for their entrance So lone as theT« ''' °f "^""^ "°*" '""^ temperature
Of the mouth Of a salmon river 3 aboveVor L Sr^'f 'r °1 *'^ ^'^*«'- «°^'"^ «"*
ing to ascend. The facts In regard to other Ssh nl . "^ '''''*'°'' °' ^^"^ "« "°w"l"
such a fish as the sturgeon which Is so abuLant ^/"^ «« ««""«»y »^nown, especially
The late Prof. Ryder Lid of thla fish • '■ tS , nt^„ f '"'^ '''""' '° *^'^°'*^'"'' wat«»
to be affected to some extentby a rise of tSe n?.? Tr"""*' "' ^'^^ ^^'^""'^ ««««"
air, thus making the fishing ^oJ £:t:'Jl^^Xi:'Z^;:[2^lZ
17
n!i ^^•^'^^"Ps tlie most novel of all reasons is that urged by old tishermeu oi. .h«
on Zr,H ': ''.r''°"°' '"•■ ""^ ^^"*^"y °^ ^'^"'l- Tlaey .dle.etha the centric L^ts
on the bridges terrify the schools of shad and cause the tish to disapneai^ The on, osltl
effec might have been more easily anticipated, for bright lights as a ule have an at
trading and fascinating influence upon most fishes. **'''"« "^"'^ '^'^^^ «" «*"
The disappearance of the valuable tile-flsh which for throe venr*. ns70 r'm „•„
abundant on the north-east coasts of the United Stater,^t att'^bie bfs^^^^^^^
can au horit.es to volcanic causes. Almost lu a single night this tine marke^Lt was"
completely destroyed and the vessel, authorized by ,he U. S. Governmer o infml- ate
this remarkable occurrence, found the sea for over 150 miles in a dTct iinfcro^i
w th the floating bodies of these dead flsh. Between six and seven thou nd so u-e
^enVnUr:,'"?''" ^/ ^''^ "'^^'^ '' destruction, and the schools of tile-flsh am ea t have
been entirely cleaned out of that region, though stray groups of them have l.een repor^d
runr^ntrttr^ '- -'--' -'- ^^« — -- - - p-o; Sei
o„r.Hl'T""°" V""' "" ^'""''■^^^ ^««' '^'^'^ ^'^y °* "«^«« '^'^ so delicate that lu un;av-
know ?h„ r' \:" "? '"""'' "' ''''^'''' *° '^«'" °^' t^*^'^- Widespread destruction We
know that along the shores of Gloucester and Northumberland Counties herring-spawn
is heaped up for miles after storms and is largely used for manure under such cuCm
suuin ti. T.r'f °" '''''' "" ''"'''' '' ^^""^'^^ - ^^ """«-"y severe spring mav
result m the death of vast quantities of eggs and alevlns. In the Restigouche lilver
some years ago sheets of ice floated down from the redds or spawning beds whhch wire
packed so densely with eggs as to appear quite orange-coloured. The ice hid cruS
down upon the eggs and gravel and lifted them in masses so that they were killed aS
carried down over a hundred miles to the sea. The phenomenal periods opt.!"' and
of scarcity in the salmon rivers of British Columbia largely arise there can T ihh.
doubt, from natural unfavourable conditions Ir . npL\'t!r^ Vr'r-ds ' ,
away. A dry season and Insufficient water on th. .-wn^nVhSs or aV^lSSed^e^^^^^^^
1/f
18
.choou Of adult fl«h Bho^nd a/ce'd hid V :;rt"l T^ /'^ ^ ^ ""=^^« «' ^'•"•" ^"^
waters when younR. no ascending schoo s nnnL, """"'^ destroyed at the head-
•chools. then the effect Is apparent S stcaXd" oil." f T '""''^'''' °' *"« «^P«^te1
generally thought) find their explanation ^n thin Tv nV '"^'^ ^'""^ °'" «^« y^"" " ^«»
■laughterof flsh by Indians musi have tZrbanefrrp^^^^^ T"""' °^«^-"««'ng. and the
and scarcity, common to all the PaclSc Hvers mnv hf ' . ^^" '""'""' «' "I'^nOance
prevailing during spawning or IncuSon Tf "l ^r- VT""^ « unfavourable conditions
usual runs of adult flsh cannot be secured [Si f L J '' '""''^°' ^'^ «^« »>"t<^'>«'l the
-pawn floats at the surface of the^ea a e pecuilnr.v '^' ""'"""' ""'' °*»^«'- ««»' ^^o..
lutlons. &c.. must In some seasonrdestroy th "" L'?''"''''' '''• '"'''' «"^'««« Po'"
delicate fry, also In the surface waters for mnnv TA '""""'^^ ''"""""«« ^'>"« t«^e
unfavourable conditions. ThereTs no dlfflcuu7,r ,' ^ "'^^'^''^ «"«ceptlble to these
otherwise Inexplicable cases of e ratlcTcreaL orTo'tl'; ?" '" "'^ ^"^ ""^"^ «' '^'
of flsh. Some authorities attributed dedlne,n ^^ '' «»PP«aranco of such specie,
whiteflsh and herring, far less to ovei^SL ?„ ^ ^''"'* "'''^ ''«'^*^'"'*^«' e«PecirJly lake
the use Of drag seiners. These nets ar? used uSon '^ !''' *^««t'-"etlon of fry especially by
boulders and debris, and It Is precisJlv rfh^ni \ 'Jf""'*" '''°'''' ^''^ '™"^ ^'^^pl
Che schools Of fry congregate The ne't Is as 1 we're M 7' '^•'°" ''' '"'^ ^"'"^^ ""^*
short distance of shore, and Is pulled to land BeJL hT° T"?^ ''" ^"'^ ^'"^'" "»
secured on shore, and the net forms a como^l ^nf^ *" ''""'^'^ '" ^"^'^ '''^^ "e
Its sweep and extending m some cases as ZchniiZ'"^' '"P'"'"'"^ ^^^''y'blng within
middle, though the dimensions" teVLstMnther ?'';"''' '' '''' ^'^P*'^ '° '^^
very varied nature, and as the moshes ai^ 1^ nT T"""'' '° '^'^ «"'°« ^'^ «' «
fixed net. like a pound, many fls^are entans^^d 4, , ? ""^ "'"''"^ '""^ "P^"' «« '« a
poses. Young flsh. Included In thJs mLed cafch „T„ ''' T ?' "'^ ^"'"^ '"'' ""^'''^^t pur-
ashore as useless. Further, the couTtant use of l.n ^^ ^ "^"''''' ""^ "''^ ^'^ ''^^''^^»
a very unfavourable effect on the shoa^ of smaS flTh' Th7'"^ 'T *'^ ^'^^"°^'«' '^^^
gratory movements and driven Into deeper waSr where ZLZ" '"'"'.'''' '° *''^"- '"'■
of larger fish. Indirectly, as well as dlrectlv S Tf ! !* ^''P"^*'^ *° ^^^ ^^^'^^^
Professor Ramsay Wright, and other autho^Ies wUh "'/?' '^'" '"J"'''°"«'y "Peered,
waters of Canada, have described the capture of Tn IZ "\^"'^''''^*' °' '""^ '""'"'^
nets, and pointed out that the sumlurflsh are ,i^p^ ""^^'^^'^ ^'' ^'''^''^ «<^in«-
glutted. Similarly, Dr. H. M. Lirspeaks of ^rnl!? "f """""'^ ^'^^^ t'^'^ ""''ket Is
ed in considerable numbers and wieTe the youT^J "'' '''^'*''^" '"^^^'^ ^P^^n-
on which quantities are taken for bait! measuring UtoTZ '" r''''''' "' *'™-'
when using the seine can hardly know tWx^Pn, .f , ? "^^^^ ''*"«• '^^« ABhermen
young, our valuable good fishes a^e llnsparent ^St7„*'7 1°"^' = ''' ^^^'" ^-••^'
meshes of the net. iransparent. m.nute. and almost Invisible In the
young of inferior species, usually rgarlTLwS^^^^^ ^"' '^' destruction of the
fishes, or minnows, are the favourite food of Zelr^; '°°'! '"'''^''''- '''*^^«« «'°=»»
other predaceous flsh. The abundance of thpil ^^ ^ "*'" P**^'''''*'' salmon-trout and
the abundance of smaller varCs on which thTLr^rT '"S^ ^'''''^' '^'^''^ -
Plied to these small fishes is used IndLTimlLliv „„7 "^k ^'- ^^^ *"™ "••'^'^"^ "P"
including some of the more valuablafood fllhes ""' °'"''' '^^'^'^ '^'''^'
^fl^TtTu.:^Z^:.\T^^^^^^^ the meshes of which the
ing with fully extended meshes In deenrrwa^li'^' T T^°' ^''^ ^^^ «'»-°et hang-
from the point of view here consiSered ' ' '"'"" '' ''^ '" *•»« °>°«t injurious
therflr;*E:rifnrbri,r;Lrwr J ztxirr^'-^ - -- -
-tages. certainly the former abunda/ce :r:;Sn ''S^Z^:/::^^,
10
level of about 126.000 voun6^ Tf^'^ '^ "'"'" '" ^^ ""'» '" ^^^^ '•^«c'^«d the low
Of the lake, where ThUeTh are now t/eeed.nX ZT^r.^'r'' "' '^^ ««" ^'"^
large whiteflsh are recorded (vhloJSrrlf^ Afn'.f"*'^ ''''""' °' """'y «<»•«»
west end of Lake OntarirthrmennetUdTioOwh?." «?*'"", ^'"''^ '" '^' '*' "^«
whlteflsh or lake herring. whiteflsh and nearly 2.000,000 l..«ser
andlLZeSrnVnro^'^h^rf^ !,-«« --^- -« -de.
in 18«0 m dc ...ng the. OsherTrMrurras ^ra^;;!^.^!^'^^!^' '^"""^
P0tetMu°'aSn7;rn!:v:L'„r o/the*.'' f r'^:^^ °^ ^^^^'^^^ °' '-•^ '« -ost
specie, of fish so far as a«oIrtaIned llv.! ""^' '"'"""'» '^"^ ^^^^^^ '"at each
requires a diet wholl/ lieS f"! that ofT ZT' "T ''•^""'"" '°°'- "^"^^ '''' '^ •'«»
the others would tlnd abundant Zd,„th„ . ' ?" " ">"'""' '^"^"'^^ '"^••^'" ^^b.-re
kinds of food Which are whX disst lar Th" "'.'''^'' '° ■■'""« «°*^ ^'^'^ "^'^ "P°°
crustaceans, especially copepods and ?i " ", ^^^'^"'"''''^ P''^f^'« '^^ s'na'l 8l.rlmp-{ike
or two Of the surface of fheonen« J h "?«*«'^«°« ^'^'^^ abound within a fathom
bottom or along the rocks and ilk-' f "°? "° '^' "'^^^ '^""^ ^^^'^^ «^'» food on the
worms, zoophyt'es and o^her forms of bXm llTe'*' *'"' ''""" "^•^"- ''''''• «'^«»-«««^-
some of the flat-fishes, and spec eTwUh mas«Tv! . Z ''PP'-°P^'«'« *« ^^'^ "eeds ; while
n>ol.uscs and sand-lov.ng crabs odcLraenr WmXZl '"*" '"l" ^•^""°''' ^'^'^^
easy to trace to the presence or absoncrnf ?h ,^}\ '" '° " ^"^st number of cases
abundance of certain Lh It is far less e-vtA '"''""' '"""^ '''' fluctuations la the
occurrence of the animals which on" tute the Zd"°M "'" '"'^ ''""^''^ '' ^'^"^^ "> '^«
unusual currents brought IncalcuJX oullm ' . ""'' ^^""^ "«" '°°"-' apparently
the eastern shores of 'scotlani For s'ome ,me "L" T"" «esslle-eyed crustacean to
strangers, a small shrimp-like creature rfni.^^ . J'"'"' '''^''' '^^"'^^'^ ""^'^ these
of this influx and while these IntTresHn^ c™ *° ^'"'''''^ observers. At the time
tlon, my friend Dr. Frltjrf Nanser d^«""-'^^^^^^ """'' "''"''''"'^ '"'"' °' "^ ''"*'"■
zoologist, prior to his winning faTeash'Ttl'M h ' '"l' "'"' "^ '^ ^'"»«°' y"""«
a visit to Scotland at once identmed the sneollrn. ""/ '''" '''"'' "^'"''''' ^«'°« '"^
known on the coast of Norway DoubtLs«l °"' """"^ *" Perl-arctlc waters and
atlon had wafted these vast hosts of smalshr "T''"'* '^'^'"^bance of oceanic clrcul-
ed m their train quantlt^e of northe^Lh TeiT/'f '°''' """ °° '^°"^* ''"^^^t"
anlmals are related It can hardly be aJestloned fn f,. ' appearances of unfamiliar
animals upon which certain species o?flshfeeH t '""''"'''" ^''"Weavance of oti.er
supply m Dominion waters, and espec Lllv tl! t, h' "''''^^'^' ^'^''' "P°" '»>« '^l^^l^r
involving the loss of Incalc^IaWe nu^be IVf fr^^^ T.'''^"' °' ^^*^^^°'°« ">»'«««-
the characteristic surface fauna ofTheJei^Lrfa.^?^""* *° ''''^•='>' """^^ '^ave affected
dlately adjacent to Cape SabJe and the ShtulTr' f '"' '"^^ ''^^ ^^'^" '"""-
stretches embraced In toe Str^Us of Northumber i„*/T ^'"""^ ''''''''' °' '""^ ^^"'""^
must at one time have been Xe with TnrlTfl ! ^°^ ^'"""^ ^"^"^^ E'l^ard Island
m June or July, or even Uter .^ 7h 7 °*"'*^'"' swimming for more than a month
contention that'ihe schools'of mackerel"^^^^^^^^^ ^^'^ ""^^ "' ^"""^ ^"^« '"^ ^^^
resorts because this food supply conslst^ninf ' IT '""'^'° **' '^''' accustomed
excessive destrucOon of berrlTLS ,?bLr« Z«?h'°'''*'™ ^"' ''^^° ^"* "«• 'J^^e
bers of the swimming infant lobsterrld thll """^ ^'''"^ diminished the num-
lead to the oon-appea'rance of toe f^^dlngl^^^^^^^^^ °' ^'^-e -ould
far more reason to attribute the loss of thT^o!^ w ^'* ""'' *^ ^° t^^^^ "PPears
when crowded together at the s^^Ltr^f'ti. *° "'^ «'«^''°a"on of the adult tlsh
food may be due as polled out tHl^nr^r '^^ °^*° '"'*• ™« extermination of
log from"^ man's iiraZs." Slar g?otd TJ^e^t-*' ""'^^ '='^"'*« '^'"^"'^ '«""»*-
ing of the bases of ice-her.a ^nr^JJ^Zi^^",'?''' '^^""'^^ "'"»«"«>^' *»>« S^nd-
--ture Of the sea-bottom oTer »^e^^-^\^' S^.ZrZ''^-^^^^^^^^^
I i
«.0(X, b„no.M ,n .Minn. Ba.Vn ^T -C"?.,; ch,u.„'7' /""*'"" " """•"- "' 3,(XK, ?o
quantity of „„,. f„t «„..„ „.k,„ ,„ ., . '" ' ,,^,'^ " ; ''^ """ "'"" ^'-nouH ,.OHort«. „.e
cli.-Htor and Hn..t« l.nr.lv roncheg aim ,t 1 noo i [ J" *'""""*"' "' ^^''''''iH'i-lan.l. Col-
Of rundy, „„,! „„,,„« Kon. tl« t.e«!''''H"' '"'""''' '"'^''^ Pc.rin^ into tho Bay
Cli!«n..,.to and Mluas Channels 'iZe ««!?..? ," T" ""•" "•'"^■" ^'"'^'"'^ "«> "'lo
pecdlarly nutritious for ,he Ush an tbev Sdiv r' " '""'■""^"' "'•"""""" ^^"" '"o^
perfect con.li.lou. Evory river and stream n ^ '"• "l>"-rated. and apiH.are.l in fat and
decayed saw-dust. "Hii.4ste"a:rpo^rio"n;rrh;T\i;rn;oV'';;', '"I'T •■-"-"'''«--«-'
shad wore no longer attracted as they once hn .„.! , ,T' '"'""""•'• '"'''' »"• »»>«
prized and plentiful as a food comrio.i " i 'vl " "" """""" "'" '''"'^" ^^■'''•'' ""
It Is extremely likely that ,il , ''""'^ "''"'■•■*' '" »'« e^^aen.e.
coyos alon. the coast etst o?\it%^7nr h' ."""'""' '''''' "'""•'" ""^^ ''-'
fouIIn« of the water by n.lning poll Uons i',,,? t^ . ,""' ""' "" "'""•^' ^"»'"°«« ^» the
don' .trac^f ,n the ^.hools. ,r cn.Hl.orl „1 destruction of ,he food which no
Prol. ,e thu. e mackerel would spawn l.S!, '■°"'P"™"vely shallow bays It Is Im-
As one local a,„horlty ata ernofion; ^J' Jlurl'r' "',"'' ""'" ^^'"""« ""-^ ^"'« "^l^-
1.K from the rushing operations rwr.rtTmir.uu.e'n m^' "*""'"""" '''''''•
Mercury, dyiuinlte. &c.. were used nnrt ti „ f .,. ^ nelghbonrinR gold mines,
out Into the sea. This b,J Uhe bnv .elJ , "'?^' """^ '''"*^° Kiuerally were carried
N.S.) was exceptionally Zd 5 r nmck.SM.ut^ fev^l^ ''''''' """'' '' '"^^''^^'
nine miles out from shore the mud?lv n!n, I * ^ ''"'*' ""'"'^ ""'J f«r eight or
there used to be five fath ms of water'^^n' e r. th'^ ''"' '^""'' ^"^^ "^^ -'"• ^hero
because of the deposits referral to and th.„^ 1 ."''^ °°'^ ""' '""'"^^ t^"° A^'e 'eer,
been Idle, however, and recenUy (Oc^b.S m "'''"°" ""^ ''*"'°««- '^'^^ "'"^ber has
indeed several bodies of ^0^ ^nrth'^h '" xrV,""' " '"''" '^'^'^^ °^ '"'^^•'^«-'-
prepared, and eould not seine the flsh which were .. vfT""'" ""^'•^'''""'^^'^'^ ^^^e not
Periodical or erratic tlmos of fnU ! Z ^ ^ ''''""'^^ "^^^^^^ ^°^>' Scotia.
Norwegian waters so pro^i^f .^'J^^^^^/^f^^.^ n-esslty occur, and even the
takes of codflsh some seasons whUe^SorrouIn^.h '''' '''^u^'' °° ^'^^•«P*'°°' '^^ ^he
value on account of their thin and ^rcoXion t f„? r""'''T' ""' ""^"^^ ""' '«««
food explains their emaciation ; but the can L or 1 1"°""' /'"'°"'- '^'^^ ^^°* ''
more difficult to trace The in f«H ^L/uf. ! ''"^ scarcity of nourishment are
the liver and otherorgaL and tS.sTs eeT In ^h'^' ''"''"^ '^°^'^' ''^^ character o"
Which are of such great market vaful ' ^'"'""'"^ Production of the flsh oils
Dr. Predrlk Wallem has polnied out th-,t - „„
give one barrel of liver, and ^wo barrell of liv.. fn -fl^"™^" ^ ^°^°*«° '^'^^^^^ ^^»'
liver oil. But In season when^S. co7 Is of IZl 1 ,f "' T *'"""' °' '"^'^'^'°''' <''"^'
codflsh are required to yield one V °f A° ..^ ^T^' ^^ *° ^^^' ^^ ^^^ ^ven 1.200
BO four barrels instead of two are re/ fo 3; '°*' ?'' "^''" "^^'' ^^« '•''^'^ ^^^v.
In cases where appropriate fSJd ';„- ^'^^^J..^^^ »'"••«'«' "'ediclnal cod-Uver oil."
madlc like the herring may become - V- 'o/m , ? ^^" "■ ^^^ essentially no-
Ilke the Loch Fyne herring of ScotlarT-' ^ ,': ; - ' P"-f "<^»"y stationary for the year
absence of food Is the ne^tlve forcT vb- r tJ^'f ' !''' '^''^' '' ^'"•^''y- ''^^
ing the movements of fishes, andt^'e iter^st-afdeMtu ? '* '! *^!. P°«'"^« 'orce dlrect-
be here referred to. He poiits out that In^xoenH^n ^ ""^^ ^^ ^''^'- ^- ^ ^ars may
I
I
g
n
St
of
SS
ai
th
ce
bi
31
nn, o,v„„l ,h.. .on will, on ihc ,vl,„le, ta „,„c!, l™, ,,|.,„ri,„, ,i,,„, ,1 , ni" ,~.. «
.notir„."t;rru;;:,i:ErT^r^^^^^^
many place- l8 thus alternately changed and restored. Now the area referred ,o »
literally nl ve with fine halibut. 30 pounds to ino or 200 pounds weight ancVnthf fnU I
remunerative fishery Is carried on b, the Canadian tlsbermen Tnd by U S scton «
ten Tir "'' ?! '""'^' '^ "'^"^"^'' ''^ ^^« ««P« «^o^«" «-»'oo'« of lokere Which
ten years ago. after a period of decline, appeared In all their former abundance So
ttTrl'^T"^ 'r 'f ""' ''"" *""* '"'^ ««^^™^° *^«'-''"«'J '^^y had seen nothng like
Ive Tnwf e-Jriy days. Now the mackerel fishery has reached Its lowest possble
level and the schools have nlmoat wholly disappeared possible
bahi?l,fr,!f '^'^"f* *° '" ^•'^ foregoing pages Include those more salient and oro-
babie, but the scarcity and total disappearance of tlsh may arise from oiSer cfrcSm
Iser^t evns' oTTr '?. ""^ ""^' '"' ^''^^'^ -«» '^'»-" to'dTsrer in 01";
^ronn"^ . f. ^^^ °^«^^"<=«°K schools of fish in their migration to their sDawuIn*
grounds especially in rivers and lakes are apparent. Wharfs and mli-dams waUs 0?
strn^lh-^ '»';f7""^"«"« Of lumber and rubbish have destroyed salmoT aTewtes
TX , !! ""^^ ""'*'" ^'^' °' "''"'"^ »^"" *° «««^ ^'^""y nevv resorts. The salmo^ nets
o«^ Charlotte County. New Brunswick, have, It is claimed, diverted whole schools of
^s end th"".*"' f ^«™"«-'<^»' «" - and caused them to msrSfBry of F^ndy ani
ascend the Nova Scotia rivers opening Into the bay. This may or may not be so though
iSLinT «"''''''? J" '''"' ^'^^^^ «^"°°" ^"« «=°'n««dent with their decVase^i
certain New Brunswick rivers and streams. The blocking of fine rivers by enterprlsinK
business firms is too prevalent an evil to demand special notice enterprising
' f
22
Tl
THE FOOD Of THE STURGEON
Judicious administration of great flsherlpr^'v,i I °' *^® ^'^'^est Importance for a
a source of food for the people that th.Jf ^'°:^^' "" ""^°« "' HveHhood. and are
the peculiar methods of oZl'nnf ,?t,f^^*' ?*^"'''"^ t»^« «»eans of nourishment a
Height be devised to protecHne s/eeL 1°h 'I "' ««^"*a'°«<i- Otherwise regulation J
another, and fishes of Inoff nX ?ee1 L thit^^'^^ ''^"^ *'^ «*«^* «' extSna ?ng
""oroJM'r rsr^"°° '^^ «" 'CTantCs^p^S '^''" '^^"^ °' P-^- -^eguards'
Part.currVst^rthrrl;^hTt^pllT .Y ^^^"- '^^--^ed m extending any
Jurlous to others. By eradTcnHnV^K Particular kinds of flsh specially referred ton r^.n
spec.es win he encouraged' d"l°nLS 'mTn':""''' ** '' -«-d ^^1- S
wh'ch is predaceous and feeds upon other flsSu.df.f"''" ^°'' *'« ^'^^ ^-^^t any Z
seasons, netting and mesh llmltatlonrln I ! , ^""^ °^ P'"°*«''^"o"- either by close
Should be decimated. As aSd to^^ ; "*/" '^' ^"°^«* «' *»>« fisheries generaUy
kinds have always Inhabited the sam« To. ' *^^ Predaceous and Inoffensive
maintained until man's operatloL n^ ,^''^ ^°^ *^** *»>« l>alance of life w^s dulv
directed against the lake whlteflsheB f^l i ^® Dominion generally, most acUvelv
left them at a serious disadvantage 1^*1/,^^^^^^^^ *''" spawning time, has undoubtedly
and m habits and modes of l?fe fess aW.t nf"''"" °' ^^^^' existence. Physically
and voracious species, their d ladvan age Vav^H '""f" "^° ^^^'°«t '^' strong! act^le
parent flsh. so that the numbers of younlbS I '"""''"'* ^^ *^« decimation of the
fZT.^': *^' ''""'^'^ •««« t»^"8 bro'St abou? each season are wholly unequal to com
fishes, that those species which are In dnnt.? ** '^ ^*°^'^' '^w. especially amongst
because they are not endowed wUb i5em,„f ""^ """"""^ °' ^^^^^^ P°^ers of defeTce or
upon the multitudes of the /ouTfrv Sn "'''°r ' '''^^' °^ ^^^pons of offence re?y
«on Hence, the charges almo unfJer all^-''"''"" 'J'^""' ""°"°'^«'"' ^^^ obse^a!
23
being present In the Sat" as wen aT™ tlT ''''"T^ '^" '""'^^ '°"«' '"'""^^ '^^'^
Isms, though m his examination nffh!^? « "^ '^ composed of larger organ-
haden and mullet, and Is perfectly adanted Jor^rS.l gizzard-like organ of the men-
the authority Just mentioned hoLth?/u t . i^ niolluscs. Mllner, as quoted by
Of fishes. buVsubsiraroi entt ^00 sLTflr/nTh/r^ '"'^T'^^'^ °° '""^ ^P'^-^
the thinner-Shelled kinds of the genus Phvm P^ZrmlJ''v"f f'^^'P'^''^ gastropods,
and MelantJw. The European sturgeon nsP^rnin ^ /. "'""'"' "^ ^^" «« ^2'"'«'^«
the stomach of one from the Tn/w^Lf T " '^''*^^' •-'°'^«"'^es marine worms :" m
mouse (Apnro%teaJea7aJ^ anaVa^^^^^^ !^^"=""^f «' ^'^^ ^"-'^"^d -a-
worms seem to be Its princlpalfood VJrTt^ ^l ^''^"''^' '^^' «'"'*» ^^1^ «^d
and half-digested pieces of flsi mixed wthJfT' "' *'"''* " *^' ''^^'"^^ °* crustaceans
been found'.n the'torachs of ^tSZHSd SffL^Tt'ob T""' '^"'^ ""^' '^'^^^
vegetable organisms that they find nt the Snftnm - S^ '^ P'-obably any soft animal or
24
ashes, or decimating the young fry when hatS o ,. '^TT'"^ *^« ^P^^'' <>' other
opnlon amongst fishermen and flsh dralers Is tha^ T ;. ^'^^P' '^' "°«* P^«^«Jent
A large Detroit flsh merchant once assured me that he hL""*^""" '' '^ «P'^^'» <J««t™yer.
Which had been swallowed, taken from a st^Llnn ^ l '^^" ''^''^™' gallons of spawn
entitled to no protection whatever on Tccountff th^^^v.,^^^ ^'^"t " ^«« « fl«b
spread that fishes' eggs and newlvlmioZT ^ J "^'^ ^'''"*- '^« ^'^^ !» very wlde-
•' Experience goes to pfove " to qSe Ir^m a nu'bl shT, \T''^''''''' P"* «^ '^« "oot
sturgeon feed almost exclusively on thTjs of ^er fit "" *'^ ^"•'^^'=*' "*»"»*
opinion supported by reliable observations and .hl3 .^^'^ ""' ^^'^ Prevalent
protecting this flsh In waters abounding i^^onnr^^f' "'" '°"°'^"''' *^« ^'«d°» of
open to question. As a matter o facf exoept^nrin Mnnu"r' ^"'"'^^'^ «P«^'«« ^"""^ "e
tor es, „,re sturgeon are of such vUal iZ S> e for 1 T ''" ^"-^^^-^^^t Terrl-
It Is to us Indians," a Blackfoot huntpru 1 T/? ""^ sustenance of the Indians-
the buffalo was on land.- and excepting ^ Br ti htrm,r'' ''''' " '° *^« ^'^'^'' -^^t
regulations has been formulated In Canada In N^wT'"' °? '^^"'''^ ""'^^ of protective
depleted St. John River sturgeon fishery social ruZ f ""T'^'^' '° connection with the
of the uncertainty as to the facts of tL Tn I i ^^^^ ^^^° enforced. But In view
strict protective legIsla?onh:sl\\°eencarrX °' ^'« «*"^^-°' '-"
less to^ipiLritr xrv''""srarrnr^nr r*'^ ^^^-^ ^^^ ^^•^ •« po--
artult. no teeth for tearing It The mo^thrnrnt ,m '! ^^""^ '"'" «"'^'^« «"«!, In the
oopic tube. and. like a hojs snout is simab! ZlT' '" '^^ ''™ ''^ ^ "^^''''e teles-
of the water. Just in front of the noXteJ^ ,"^."^ '''' ^" '^'"'^ '^t ^'^^ l>ottom
grovelling operation. FIshermlareTeU aware tbittf'' !'''''' ^^^^'^ «««'«' ^^ ^^e
in order to catch sturgeon, and in ome rJveTs a "lawl f ,f °\"«'^«««'»'-y to use any bait
series of strong sharp Looks fastened at Tntervn « , '^° "''•^' consisting of a
stretched across the bed of the dve! „nH Jf ! "'°°^ " "*°"* ''^P^- T^e rope Is
tlons. that they press upon the t^wl w'b alf SlVfL'^ 'T '"^ '''' "^^"*^'"°^ «P--
hook. Many sturgeon also are netted but w.Pn J i, f*^ ""'^ P^^''*^"'' ^^ ^^^ ^'I'V'-p
that tU H.-. gude over the bottou nrou-ud n^ t^l i ^^' ^ '''°^" '"^ ^' demonstrated
up the mud and nutriment upon wblcrtbev Zinlv s?.^7" S.' "^' " ''^""'^' "^'^ ^"^•'^^ng
acter of the stomach, and L larg™dtv i^ "^ ^^ ' '''" ^'"'''^'^ '""^'-'"l"^ chai?
attained by the flsh. all Indicate t5at?o„H«T n ''" ^'"'"Pared with the large size
of fishes or their spawn does not^--' comniinuted and digested as the fr^
There are. Indeed. diffl^^UIes rcredlTlnVJhToo:;:' "' "?/ '''' °' *^^ '^'^ °* this flS
that the flsh usually stated to suffer iron, h, T^^ allegation, arism^ frcr: tLe fact
localities, not as a rule, frequented by tS < Jh ''T^T''' °' *^^ ^^"^«^°" ^P^^^vu in
always spawn upon hard grounds Thev eUl .' u 'J"" ^^' S^eat lakes the whiteflsh
waterworn and full of crevices and JaggTd X fn^ '' '"?^ ''''' ""'^ ^^«"'«- »"<^b
are areas of honey-combed rook o," ni^ff fl ° ^"'"^ '^^*«''"«' ^^ In Lake Erie, there
as the resort for grea'tdieTtf^i'tS^l'^SS^^^^^^ "''^•'^'^- ^^--
hese reefs varies from 4 feet to 20 feet and neftherth'I TZ '^'''''- '^^' '^''^''' °^«r
bottom is favourable to the movements „fth! if *^'P*^ °°' *^^ character of the
movements are such that on terwater'rnJ'r^^ ''' ^'«^' '^«'»-y- Shovelling
and a soft muddy bottom, such ts s foun.", fn'V"^"""« '* ^°"ld sufl^er serious Injury;
aries and creeks forms th; usual 1 aunts of tL. T^ '^"°"''' '^^'^ '° «'°^ running estu-
examinlng sturgeon from the ex rereastern and w^' ' '""" '^'^^ *^^ opportunity of
n none of the specimens were found any etJde^ceswliT .'''''''''' "' *^^ I>on>inIon. and
hat the sturgeon Is a devourer of .spa"vn I Is true that -°'' T '''' ''"''^'"' ^P'^'""^
for my examination from British Columbia were found t? '^"'■^''*° '""^ *° Ottawa
quantities of a small, smelt-like ashThTaZllJ ' V '"'P'"''^' *« «=ontaIn large
sonUJ. One specimen a male stujeon 71 Inches In^ ^'^"^^f^^'^ (Thaleichtkvs rickart
5 or 6 Inches In length, and the other sneo. In! ^' ^°°*«*"^<i thirty Oolachan, each
fish. Possibly these%sh 4re ascending fomthe'sea' T" T''''^'^ "'*»• these smS
not escape the suctorial Jaws of the cu^brm^st^rgioVr irnr/?: f- IZ ZZ
25
predacious sturgeon. LylnHtlbe bottom n^ ^^'5."" ''^ "'^'^ '"•"^ *° "'« ^^ '>•«"
greedily, sucking them up wltLut d^fflSv T.Z '' T""^'"" ^°"'' '^^^""^ ^^^^^
early spring In some of the Pacmc rlJlfs ?iat thev IffLT ' ,1^"""'* °' ""« "^'^ •"
way slowly Into the river It aPDears ?n i^m^nf °"^° '°'*'" »°»'l '""s^'^^. working their
scoop-net. or, like the he^rln/on fho 1 ^ . ^ '^°"''' """^ '« -'^"^'^* «"''«'• ^'th the
merely a ong St pole flattened .1 irn?"^^^^^ '""'' '^' "'^'- '^^'^ «'™P'« ^«vice Is
and with the edge set towa is thV^owen 'S^ ' u "" T° '"'^^ "'•"""'^ *'>'•«"«'> *»>« ^^t^^
The fisherman, enter ng^Seshoa' Zsaes tlLTi nlJ^'f """^ "' '''"P'^ P«'°*«'' *««*"
with a rapid stroke, each tLeTran^rg veraffll ThX?''", """"'' *'^ "-^^^^
secured. The Oolftchan Is. In the estlmntinn nf L 7' ^^ " """^'""^ '"PP'^^ '» «o«n
products of the sea. Sma er than the her Z iT , ^T^'' °°' ''^ ^'^^ ""^^ d«»^">"«
80 rich that. When drleT t is InSaLabie \h.s Vl", "' T'' ^''''^'' A'^-our ; and
but frequents, likewise, the Nass a^„l^; J,^" ^'^ '' °°* ^°°fl"«'i *« f'nvser River.
British Columbia; another stream LiZh.n f? ^T"" '° '^^ ^^*^^°»' °°rth of
other rivers along the coasT. 't";" ea^ht Jt'thflutror the^v"'^' '' ^"'^ ^^"''^"'^
even richer than those of Eraser River Tn,/n„f..L .^ ^^^^ '^''^ "'' '^ <l"al"y
b.rs ,n spring to prosecute the flsheiy' bSlLsdryin/therr'?''' *"''"' '"^ ''''' ""•"
?' : a the surplus a fine oil which i, h.„i i ,. ^™ '° ''*"'^« quantities, extract
staple article of barte^ i" £^Ser4 ^C ^'^'^'"'^ "'' '"""' "' '""' '
^ipproachlng to the consistence of tX Yard ,„ r I ! f' ""' "■ ^^^^^^^ ^«'°"''' «nd
vvlth Its properties, as equally efficacious with thl^^'l?^ ^^ ^^^'^ ^''^ '''^ acquainted
and It Is said to have tSe great advint^glof bl'."? ''' °" '° ""'"""""'^ P'-^«*^^"'«<i '
with his simple apparatus can mnkJ^^nJ-? k? ^ " '""'"^ Palatable. If the Indian,
celvlng how ?he s^geoTcouWrcure al,^^^^^^ '^*'^?• '''''' '' ""'« '"«^""y m con-
was simply a moving mass of these" eTrusfll'TH"'^^^^^^ '^^ ^^^^^ '^^^"'"i »"•«
the middle of May, and it has been notle^Lfthe P^L"'"'?'''' ^'^' ^^'^'"'^'^ '^b""'
rivers at the time the Ooiachan run commences ''*'°° "'"""^ ''^^°*'« the
St. Lty^: wCltTnnmTa^VxrsSe^^^ «' ^'^^^ ^-- ^he River
tlons of too destrurtlve and unSt^^ o I f «t"r««o° fishery was can-led on. Opera-
tion Of this i-portant spTcLTThe r,ver'nS,r"';'^? *'' ^''°°^* *°*'^' -t-S-
Rlver St. John, there were no traces of fish rem«f; \'^; ^P^<=irnens examined la the
were crowded with newly-hatcheS 3e?enceL« 1 ''^"«^«^- «"»'°"gh the shallows
Most of the spawn of these lastJnaLfflsTmu havf ''"^ ''''''' ^'"P^'^«-
yet. Judging from the minute size of the frv nuS. ,'"'/ "*"* ^^ ^'^^ "'«^^'« <>' J»°e,
lying on the spawning beds of the WashadeLar and th " .^'n "^"^ """^^ «"" '^^^^ been
bury County. Apart, however, from a ouanrv tV ^ ^ ^^'^""'^^ "^^"^ Gagetown. Sun-
whlch unicellular algae were pLtifn. '',.^"''°***y °' °>"<i and masticated vegetable o(^ze In
-ollusca. The shell In a Cnuml'roTSS '^^^^ -' ^ '-shTatfr
perlostracum was digested off. but the larLr Zn ZZ °'* ^^'^''^' ^^^^P^ *»>*»* the
the lip was lacking, a vast number if f ."' ^^^ undergone some trituration, and
seml-transparent horny matter occurred i^^Tl/'"^^^ *'^ '^'"'' ^''"'^^"^e '^ the
matter, but no characteristic structure coulfLn^ A '*°^^°°«'«t«d chiefly of vegetable
uncertain. Probably it consisted S Lave and stl' °"i' '' *'"* "" ''^' ""^ture was
ated, and here and there the sillcious teste oJlf ."' ''**"''*''= P'«°t«' '""^'^ t^^ur-
appeared. The specimens were capTu red Lrf .^^^ ^'™'*^' ""'^ "t'^^^ lowly plants
as I was much engaged at the t'me wlJh nth 7'°'** '*'"'"* **"« '"'ddle of June, and
the determination of the contents S the sto"*^ I departmental duties I was asslst;d in
the Department of Marine and Fisheries a zealot ""h"'?,''* ""^ '"'■ ^""^^^^ ^alkett, of
much attention to the study of mollusc; and ith ""v!* *''"''^ "'''"^^^ ^^« ^^^ devoted
specimens being parUy tritumted Jiere^^Ss a littl' ^Z^""?? "' ^°'°^^- '^°'"« «' *»»«
but this doubt exists only m the rases of Imnl/i i "°^«'talnty In their determination ;
there were no less than We'n' Ses^'of 2?-'!:^^ "^f- '-'^'
atomacfas from St. John River, viz :— " " conteucs or tne sturgeon's
26
Planorbia parvus, Say
Planorbia bicartnatua,' Say.
Planorbia campanulatus, Say.
Limnaea cataacopium, Say.
Amnicola Utnoaa 1
Amnicola porata,
^ampeloma deaiaum, Youag
Vahata tricarinata. Say.
^^alvata sincera. Say
ItT""* ^^'"^'"'^ iriatimm V. Lamk.
JWdf«m aM««m. Haldeman.
the close °«lghbSo?d*oJTh?splwn/iIlf hp5* sturgeons examined had been feeding In
Pereaux. &c.). which ascend to deSt Jhelr S /*'" «°'"^''°'°o«8 fishes (the shad^gas
ademoak. Grand Lake. &c., It was ant ^1.!*!.'° well-known regions near the wfsh-
spec e3 referred to. w;uld ha.eTccn? id^n^^^ T'''''' «' '^^ egg-capsules 7tZ
which crowded the shallows, wouW have blen n! '°°^ "^ *^"* P°'^"°°« of larval fishes
consisted solely of shell-fl.h andTgetXe Zter w?^ ?' '"''''• ^'^'^'^ ^«« ^^unS
A more prolonged Investigation and threxammat^^r ?.t ^7 ''="""'-«'^ unicellular alg«
of a large series of sturgeons would show Th»rl, ' *^* ^°'^ ^''"^^''t^ '° t^e stomachs
rapacJous character commonlv Tttr^uled T" th * """'' ^"""""^ ^°'' tl^'^klng, that 'he
limited study, so far as It goes fs conS,!L ^^^ ^^^^S^on Is not Justifiable. The pJesent
ceptlble under the most mfnm; ana nS"^ '"''".' '"' °° '''''" °^ "««« °^ fry was per
Of Planting fry of «almonolds Ld ItC va u'ah.T ^l"""- '° "'^^ °' '"^^ existing system
mg parent fish and their spawning beds "ueh - -""' "'' '"' Precautions for^rotec"
Indicates the probability that thp «IL„! . ^ conclusion Is of some value ami u
Pensity and evl, charalt's'o mlZ a^WbTted^to it'^^lt'^ ""^ *^^ PreSld^uTp^r !
desirous, at all costs, of extensively dL„;;I„ ? '^^'''^ merchants and fishermen
ment that In exterminating this valuable fish hln„fl?'^'°° ^^^^'^' ^""^ "«J°g tl^e argu
no reliable evidence so far to sunnort th J^ f^* ""^* '"^^^^ to other fisheries have
ground m fact, but the deletion ofTuLlon^ contention. Their view may have some
resulted In a great IncreaL rother fis^s ti w"hS T^^'T'^^ ^"^ers has not senSy
o be mimical. Wherever the sturgeon flshlrvhafhlr h^?° ^"^ 'P^^'^"^ t^^ought
has been rapidly depleted, and extensive des^rn.f, '"'"^^'^ Prosecuted, the supply
result, as the fish are specially sou^hLiT'^t °P«'''^tlons Inevitably end In this
Which caviare Is made, a'l.d the^mSire rJeon^;'**'' 7"' *'^ ''^' spawn, from
the va ue of their flesh, and the wasJe products Sro^ 'v.?!*!* ^»t^'e««Jy on account of
been already pointed out, the famoufst ?^h I, ^^^^""^ Isinglass Is made. As has
the abundant school., which we^ound In the 11??^° "'"^^^ '^^'^'^ --"-^
found m the Detroit River and St C?air w2L hf '"''"?' ""'^ e^Pedally the numbers
Bay, sturgeon were so plentiful that tLw^r! a nt^.f''""?^ ''''"°^^- '^ ««°'«"^»
Superior the fishery forms now a whoUy inconsolcuonr T°'' '".'''" °'*'' """^ '° Lake
In Lake of the Woods the sturgeon fishervhas hi 'f'"''"* '° **"« ^««tern fisheries,
than four or five years, and it !s general y admitted" Zl'H °" ''^'''''''' ''' "°* ^^^^
fishing operations are such that It cannot lon^w/hf. T.^^ °'^°""'' ^""^ «*«"* of the
It. in British Columbia, the sturgeon of ?h? P l4rRlvi%''"'^ '*''"'° °°^ »"* "Pon
but overfishing, especially In the Pitt Lake waf/r« hi "'^^^/'^^'^ ^^own to Importance,
sturgeon Is of prime Importance In decSg It^tllZ 'f""'*^ '° «* «"<^«^«° «°d serious
of these serious results ^ ** legislative steps are necessary, m view
27
ILL
NOTES ON THE HABITS AND LIFE HISTORY OF CANADIAN SALMON
TaZrr '' '■ ""' ""''^" "™"'" '^ ^^^"'""'
be8t''L'oVn'lnd"°«osrhTiV\T;S *'"' '''"°° ^^''""° ''«^'-' ^-^ '« Perhaps the
amour. ,n dash and vIgoSr of movement 1„ "ZZ'^T "' '*"'"'• '° brilliance of Xery
peer. According to old English law th^ I , ^ ** ^®^''' ^^^^ true salmon has no
ranked. " Royal fish," and rcomL„JnT-"'°'^ ""^'^ *^" ^'^"'^ and stuSeon
remains undisputed. The InLitX „« " - '''' '"'"^'^"'^ ""« *° ^^^^ pre-eSnce
tlons. the Choice, which the sZoTuntanT.wZ''V '^^''^^^'^ '° '^'^ '^^^"^"b i"
a^d. again, the value from an eco^omlfpl^of J,;' "i *'' ^"^^^' ^""^ ""'''^^t rlvoi
aod o his claim to be regarded as t^e "Jal „7flT °'.^^* '''^'"°° '^^ ^ ^ooA product
It Is by some of the coldest clGarP«V„n^ ^ ^ ^^^^^- '^'^^e Dominion, traversea n«
lence the chosen home of tTZ:L''u Z^^Tt"" ^''^^ '" "^^ world. ,s ;:":!:!
St. John and a score of others famous in A, . ««^stlgouche. the Mlramlchl the
about the salmon and alliS'sSSonida tltTV T''' «° '""^'^ b«« been wrU ten
form an extensive library Yet ^o^n^^ . ^ treatises If collected together won m
and Of valuable allied forms ,' notTen'X afairn"™^^ ^^^""-^^ °' theuueJu 1
supply the want and to embodv all Z ^ available, and the following notes aim t^
a«d the salmonlda. generally '' "" '"" "^°^' '^'^^^ ''""wledge respecting the sa^on
at ^e^SlfsSrst rSi\?-rorht^^" -^^- --« -e occurring
H. M. S. "Challenger." others conflned ^n 1 ^'"^ "^ ^'■*'°' ^,000 fathoms depth bv
the whlteflsh (Coregonm cluZfoTwotZTTr'' ^'^'^""^ ^"-^^^ ^^ater areas like
nnH L '.^ '^''^ grayling (Thymnllua aigniferZTfZfi' ^^ «'ay«ag. at any rate one
-^rrih;^r^--£S"^-"^
t.uts.^;r.smelt-li.capelln
;alm?n%rai?rrrr;rr^^^^^^^^^ Par. the view that grilse or
for ever; but authorities still wal hot oL? °^ ''*''"°° ^""^ t^c lik^ are setUed
We history and Indisputably shTthat the nf"'? "^°" "'^^^ P""^^^ In he sa mon'
from the early infant stage onwaTd I nerennTr'^.^"'"'''^ *° ^^« habits of thirfl"h
such as the following.-.. 5o salmon feerin^l^^- "^^^ ^"""^'"^''^ «"" discussed include
Which rivers they ascend for spawn ng or are th""''? ' '^'' ^^^'""^ indlfferenHl 'o
salmon resort to the depths of the sea ^r do th J '"^ '?' *" ''''"' "^"^ streams ? Do
Many of these questions, though stm dehnt^K """'^ '"^^''' '° ^'^sbore waters?"
have been decided definitely b^sclen flc ami ,f/ "°«'«" «°«i ^Portsmen gener^i
mm facts m the wonderf,J nLhTstoiof t^. f ''' ""' '° *^« succeeding page? "hj
IiS'k ''"'' ^'•^ *^"« ^a'^-o". will be br?e«l ir, 1" ''"'' °' ''"'^^ f«''^« ofttn cJ^.!
Ilshed by exact Investigation. ^ ^''^^^ '^* '""'^^ «» 'ar as they have been estab
28
. s structure and anatomy whlJh are of a l?u h' '""^ ^"''' '"^^^^ "« some Ss "j
the lowest flsLes tbe skull and much of th^ Tf^ ^''°'"'^" """^ '"^'^ character S
as we rise In the scale of Ash Se we fl^d thtt h V'"?''^ '' «^'«''« '>' cartilage " bu"
gluous material the skeleton becomes cMnlff T'"' °' '""« '° ^^e soft cartUu
and Shoulder bones of a cod Score ohnnS'/f".''^"^^ ^J^'t« bone. Thus the sSl
Change Is only partially acoom^ZZ aTZVZ\'^'''^, '°°^ ' ''"' '- ^he salmon S^
remain as soft carUlage. The position oft^..'^^ '''""• ^^^ ^'^«"'der elements &c
fishes the hind pair or ventral fins a. e p aced'arfn '"' 'f "'"'"'"^^ ""'^ while ,n ml;
dock, the mackerel and the bass in thl 1 forward, as is the case with the had
way along the body. Other lowly futures mi^^^ ^^'''° *^«'' ^^'^ PosIt on Jjff
and to the naturalist, thr naost perplexing ^ fh. „L '*"°?'*' "^"^ "^« "^"^^ remarkaWe
tnon. In the moro highly o anlz«i flshP« n.l '^"''^ "^ ^^'''"'^ts in the female sal
or ovaries pass Lackwar , aiongTpa,r oVt.^h'^*' T' ^"-'^"^ '"^'"^^ '° the eTgSands"
n the lowest fishes there are no su'ch tls buVth"'' '"'""^^^ '"'^ «° ^'^^ «" om e,
ripe and roll along the abdominal chamber tilithev S '?^ '™'" ^'^^ "^'^'''-s when
like the lamprey In this primitive or as Im 7. . ^^ ^°** ^''^*- '^'^^ salmon Is exactlv
Regarding the distrlb^utlon of the salmon it' ?" ^''''^'^ '^'^*"^«-
d^i-ect y into the waters of the Atlantrevery one^nV';'"' '' *^« '''^^'^ Pouring
In a few cases It might be appropriate to /neaknf 1? ^"^^^ '' " *'"« «'^''»o° river
tense, yet some waters like the trlh,,L I r *^^™ "^ ^^'"^on rivers In the nai
sorted to by salmon in numbe^^^ ^^'f^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^ 0°t-'«. which are no loLger'ri*
salmon. The Superintendent of pL^e L To ' t i^ "- '"" '"""" '" ^'""^ "° °^^^«'°°^^
1859 the capture of an extraordlnarnTmbe/o^salLn T" ^'''"''''^ '° "^'^ ^^Po^ Wo
A Port Credit he said there were taUrSo^ fl-^ . at certain points along the lake
salmon, it is difficult to underatand slh J^T ^ *° ^^^' two-thirds of them beln«
trout (the great lake troutrirSe same 1-^"".^ "''"""' '*"■ '''' '"^°*^°° oflmt/
they frequently are In some part of oZlo ZVS"* ''^ '^° ^«^« "«* confused as
seriously declined. Many of L streams r^n". . f** ^^^"^ "^ '^""^ date salmon had
once the resort of myriads Of salmolrthT- 7 ^^ '"'*' """^^ ^^'a^lo »e saysjwere
them from 1812 to is'is, swafrn^L^ r'vers I tS''/.T..*'^ °^^''">- " ^ ^-e leen
a Shovel and even with the hand Now It Is rare t?«' ?'^ ''"'' t^^^^'' out wltS
the question occurs, is It. not possible! entlTthl h T "* *'^°'" «'''°« ^a'^", and
One cannot but feel deeply at the loss-thpl^„ ,! J"*"" *° *'^«"' favourite haunts v
talned In the destruction of these nob7e flsh S a.^.^ ''^'""^'^^ ^« '^^-^ «"-
agencies whicu have been used, the greatn„ih..t t. ! *^^ '"^^•^'^^^ and destructive
the lakes show their vitality kndgTvesSsTh^Lrt'' ""^ '"" '*'"°^ '" ««-« Parts «?
means need be used for their preservation " ^"'''^°*'" ^'^^^ "° ^^^^ ^iensive
Of thr/rc^rr^^^^a^hr S^r ^^'■""^ --- - -- - -e .vers
hunters and traders that s'aJmon inhabit some of^^'"^° °^'°'°'^ ^^«° amongst fur!
but long conversations with residents from F„rf A "[!,?' P°"''"'« ''^t" Hudson Bay
have lived upon the various rlverfln q,StTon hav-' ' '''''''''^''^ '^''' &«.. who
Ike flsh captured for food have been enormo ' sla t^T ''*^'' *^"* ''^^ '"^^^ «a\mon"
to the great lake trout. I have hnrt f°*"'™°"s sea-trout, or species of Salvelinus alUprt
large salmonolds from the northern Lab^nT'*"""^ °' ^^^'"'"'"S specimens o Zt
salmon submitted to me Proved to be ^cog^^^^^^ ^^ ^°^ «--P'«« «' socS
true salmon. The true salmon aoneL t^ „ ^^'®' °* northern trout and not the
iriss'i"^ ^'^^" ofrrtrrcttfTugaTa' " ^^°^"*- ^"•-' -^" p-
Of Lake St. .ohn and certain lakes bo^rdSlTg on^r^rnar £ ^ r b^r^^^
29
the St. John River and the St Cmw ui„
Which, as a rule, re^ain^pe' .^n miy n'frlTafef ^.f T' ''"^'"^"'^^ ^ '^ «'^»-
sea. though anglers on the Saguenay Rlvrr r.^ ? ^' ""^"''^ *° ^'"'^''^ to the
The tall portion of the trunk of beflshrioh'?.Ltr''r'' '"'''"''^^ «' *^^'«« ««!>•
far more expanded proportionately than n T « '°^*''"'"'^ «°d narrow.ed and the tail
doubt the correetness.of the oJmln opinion thaut a'^n' l'}''''^-^- Some experts
the fact that smelt, sea-bass and the sahTnoTr rlnHn '"^■'°*^'^^'' ^^riety at all. but
water, and the example of the sm^n «noT ^ """^ ^^*'°"« acclimatized to fresh
modified under changea^ondl ions support he on °"' '^"*=' ''''''^'' «° remarkab y
The brook trout or speckled Zt Xh ^.t .J''"" ''^^'^'"^ '''' ouananlche
Lake superior, are notable for their Tarie 8,S^„„? ""^ ?' ""'P'^"" "'^«'- *» and from
run brook trout which become uttelytratfor^^^^ '""'; ""'^ «"" ^°^« ^he sea-
how vastly surroundings change the form «n^?w '°,'^P^' ^'^^^ and coloration show
well known Instance of the iSuctlon o^ eTJT?"^ '"''""'^ °^ f""""'" Asb- The
more striking. Prior to 1867 there werfnTfll""*™"* '°'" """^ ^^«"^"^ '« ^v*^^
was but one insigniflcant salmonold. an nJerior S of 21 '"r ""'.7 ^^"'"°''- ^^"-
of eggs reached New Zealand, but in October IfiS^ I . /° ^^^ '^"^ ^'^' ^atch
England in 1867 were hatched out at Otago and nSj r fo"*' ''■°"* "^»« ««"* fr«'»
taken to New Zealand, and many other shSentTfr ?, '^'^ '^°°'^^'' ^^'P'"^"* ^^««
Now. the trout of British streams rarelvMir ""^ *^^ ^''"'"'^ ^^'^^ took place,
a 3-pound or 4-pound trout wTuTd bra'raX ro„l"' 'T '* ^°"'^'^^ *<^ ^^ P«""<^«-
15 pounds weight. As a rule 1-pound ^r Tnound tr^. '^""'"""''' ""^^^ ''^^^ ''^P^'-ted of
as mature well-grown fish. In New Zealand hol^ "' considered by British anglers
down to the sea and have become I.nf. * ' ^°''^^«'"' ™ost of the trout have gone
weight, in the srnanZJ::7:eZ^:^^^^^^^^ '' ^"-"^^ "P to 25 IZl
the usual deep-red spots, but as they grow arter^h TT"^ coloration and show
disappear altogether, m snow rivers thrtlklsT \'^°*' ''''°"" '«^«'- «°d finally
weight. The vast changes in size shane ^nf ^, ""^^^ *^^ *"""* «« one-half pound
troduced into the watersVf he Antlpode demonsSrtH''^" '° '''' ^°«"«^ ^rout In-
Passing to the Pacific water^of the DoZ n « P°*^°''^ °' ^"^''•o^ment.
s^monoids abounding there. With the excSn S Z ."''..^ ""^""^ °^^ ^^'""P of
ted trout (8almo purpuratuaj which are close ami nf^n T^^^^^ ^"^ *'^« black-spot-
river-trout, the so-called salmon of Ssh Columl ..*'"' '"''"°° '^"^ ^I^^ ^nglisl,
ant features some of which especialfy trienirS ti^nf «^"''^'*' ^^ ""^"y '°^Port-
small scales are apparent at once to the ordfnarv nJ ^' ^°' ^°^ ^'^^ comparatively
species are notable for their smalTslzetLT/hH 7 ^'^"■' '"''"^ ^'^^ "'"'^ abund.iut
being counted an equivalentTr hr^f so?LvV?Jrn^:"'%^^^ °°« «P^'"^ «'^''"o»
10 or 12 to 20 pounds. Is not an abundant aI f. f °°- ^^^ dog-salmon ro. keta}
all the rivers of the Pacifll ^rortSe Sacramen" ' o T"' '^'^'^^'^^ «« " «--« '°
last to come in and appears at the end o? sStmh. f "^^^^^ °* ^'«^'^^- ^^ is the
ber. It is oft. marked by dark toough indfs^nrf """* '""' *° ''^•^ '"*<^<J1« «' Novem-
patches about the gill covers and shoulders Ttfflirr '"'^' «°' «^°^« P"'^ g^^^e"
beautiful red colour when it comes in bui IVf^ \''^''^ ^' ^'- ^^'^^ *» ^^^ of a
which I examined in British Sumbi; were ,ar^ i'.' '' ''^'^''- ^" *^« «P^^'-^-"«
flesh was Of a dirty white colour. ?he telth were ennrm^"""''' *° ^^ P"""''^' «°*^ '""^
eye^ror;orrX^r:/;^,^^^^^^^ --- «- the Mue-back or seek-
er 15 rays instead of the 9 or 10 mys o the trl ^z^'""" '° ^^''^'^ " ^«'°°«« J^a« "
pouuds to 10 pounds, though the la«er weight . """*' ^'' ^"'^'^t '«°g«« fom 4
but firm and of a rich red colour, Lenritrvalue f„ '7'?''' "'^"'""'- "« ^iesh is dry
salmon is more in demand In the crnned-goods Irkefr ^^ ^"'■^°'''- ^ '^^^P ^^^'oureJ
Which indeed there is little or no demLd JhTLoLl^f ° ^^^^ P'"''' ""^ ^^^^^ A^^"- 'or
r..er. in countless myriads during Jul/^^d 1^^:^^^^ :^ t^y" "e'SoTd
30
The humpback (0. .or^C Is a shToelJ T.T'''''' '?''"^' ^^^ ''°'' °' *»>« ««««o°-
2 pounds to 9 pounds. anTlike othe?«n... ?!? *''*^'''"'' '^^ *"'""'"«• "' ^^'K^' '«
The rldgo along the back rlsfs to a L^ i , /''^ ""'" ^'~'°^" *="^°"«'y malformed,
mously. It ascends a comp«Ive,/sho^^^^^^^^^ height while the Jaws lengthen eao,^
and observable than it7Tnthe!B!e;tnT.Tu^'^?u''''''^ the change Is more rapid
grotesquely humpbacked The flesh .«Jm! ^^^^' ^^^ """'« °' ^'"'^'^ «'«« becomes
valued. The eohoe or silver salmon JLu/.^.f/'' 'T''' '"^ ''''^^"° "^^^^ ""'«
economic point of view rsunelr L., h f ^u' '"' ^l^sa^^y formed and from an
pale. Ten pounds to ll pounSs s ,he us,^^?"^ , ?f ^l"'' ""' «' "^ "^^'^ '« «°'^«"'''at
or 30 pounds. They run very la e th/p„ ^ t^""/' '''*'"^^ '""'^ ^'"'^^ *« »'« ^0 pounds
eye run. but the mamrun does no; Til T" '"^,T 1""°^'°^ ^'°^« "P°" *^« '"«' ^^^'J'-
salmon In the Qulnnat or SDrmrslirn "°/" ^''°^^'- '^^^ '"''S^^t of all the Pacific
pounds. They are alSLairefcbinoik s^Zf ^''■°'" ^? P""'^^^ "P *« ^<^ P°"°d« «•• «>
small head, deep body and la^ e'pan^^^^^^^ "^ f -af erlzed by a comparatively
Mcintosh Showed 30 years ago thaJ^n 1 'f ' °' ''" '^^ «'*""°° t^'^^- Prot,.,or
aense. and of the co/srn^y'Vf o n Sage o'r^^^L^rl^r' t' "'^'l' ''' ^"'^ ''^^"'"^^
hence the deposition of the salmon's e"^s in ti?. f! ^''^° ^^"''^ '" ^^'^ ^ater,
recent Norse observer. U^ oZ^alvTJ^ inLZ""'''''^ """"'"^ *^^"^ **^*«' •°««- "^
hatched successfully If the sal nl tv iffl nl ? . ^ experiment that salmon can be
say 2 per cent or 3 per cent thllsults ar ««'? .'f'"^*^.; '"* *' «*^°°«^^' «^ '^ ^^^^er.
that some of the sLalTed saLT of t£X^^^^ "" 7^''"''' ''^ ^^'''- " '« P°«^l»^»«
or so short a distance up riverchann.f, T ""* ""^^ 'P'^^" *" ''^'^^'^'sl^ ^at«-«
water pours down from thrprecSous^^o.nr,'"''!''"' '"'''" ^'^^^ ^^"'^^'^°* ^''^^^
n^ixt^e. in this conn^c^fo: z''sx:.7:c^::oToT^:srs rrr-r ^ ^^;
Scofield are of extreme Interest. They show thJtfUa^,' Alexander and
habits of the young salmon fry vary with toe condi inn„ '''''''^!,.''"^ "^^ «'^'^°°""«
servatlons further demonstrated thn7«„^. the conditions surrounding them. The ob-
go out at interval? rranlcris'^'Trmrr^tHf^tSe^'fi:?! *^7 ^^''^^'^
are regulated primarily by the food sunnlv whin.? ,„ f. ! *" ^^^ *" ^^'^ streams
perature or rains. When the food snnnfv 5: ^ "^ *""" ""^^ ^^ «*f^«t«'i by tem-
down stream. In the lesh water theTshornrtel^^^^^ '"f """'^^ ^^' InstlncUvely move
numbers In any given localUy are determZn h , ^^ *° congregate In schools. Their
and give each 'an\ciualThal"to s urTrfl'Thr Treft f "" T ^ "-'^^^
themselves. Young salmon In tide wn 1 L .'n . ^^"^ *° ^'^^"^^ ^"^ shift for
move m schools. ^'''' ««P^«'ally those In brackish water, seem to
Certainly schools of small salmon fry 2 Inches to -i innh«p in . .u .
m the Straits of Georgia in the month of June whL , ? .. '^°^*^ ^""^^ ^^'"^ "^ot'^ed
the "parr" stage and had assumed 1 bxghtunlm siJverv"'""'^ ^"'* ^''''^ ^'^^""''"^
indication of the transverse bars or "naS" m„,l silvery appearance and showed no
tains the size mentioned in abourtwo months aLrZ h." *'"" ^"'^'""^ «'»''°°° '''■
"parr" marks may be retained /or Tyear It ien«r J. i^^' '^^ '° •^"°«' »^"t "'«
smolt is assumed. Hence the British Co lb a sS leT^U LulJr''" ^^*"^°'- °' ^^«
through the various changes charaeteH.ic of i,:^^^^^^^'^.^^
31
Sow% ' ^T' ""' ''"'^" «*°°^^ «^°"°<^ '^'^'^ ^'-^^ the water ,8 si eut'y
unl; sm! r ""T'""' '°"''"°°' "^ ^'''^•^ *^« '^'^^ «J°"^'^*^<i i>aR Of yl on the
Tons the ba?rT'°/ ''T^ '^''' '''' '''''''' ^"' "^"^ ^^^^ continuous fin membrane
detflL tL m' ?7. 1° ^" *^^ "P""'"'- ^"'"tever differences there may be In minor
m o, P 1«V '''f """^ "' ^"^^ "'^'^"'•° ""^ ^""""^ ^'^toon is typical of the allied species
a^Thl ? " . ""''f " ^'''''•' """^ " '"'^y ''^ ^'^'•^^'^ '"'' «'«»>* sepaaJe stages
(1.) The egg stage. In which the fish Is as yet unformed. The egg Is a spherical
object not unlike a translucent pea about i Inch In diameter. It Is of a mLed reddish
the ban of fluid yolk. After fertilization the ball of fluid yolk, somewhat yeUowisl in
appearance, separates into two parts, one the lower, shaped like a flattenen k is
germinal protoplasm and Is the real germ mass out of which the fish Is built nn th«
ifZ 7:V^Tl '?""°° '^ '"^ '°°"*-^*^''^' «"^'^ «--•-• aU contain n^rs aTr'e S^
noted the reddish coloured globules of oleaginous matter. Each egg possesses a trans
paren shell or egg-capsule like a thin skin or envelope, which Is ?e?y stron/am rp
a wXht o?V'' °'/r"°° ""' "^'^^ ^^"^^ P--— • --^ experiments B^ing that"
a weight of 5 pounds G oz. may be placed upon a salmon's egg before it Can be crushed
flsh YlZlZTrV r'^""*^' "'°"* ^ '''' ^° '^' Pound-weiJh °f the pareni
fish. A 38-pound female salmon will deposit 30,000 eggs, and they grow so rapidlv in
we'l.h?orH''"' ^'!''''' '° «">y «P^'°^ the eggs are only about 1 per clnt of the 4ta
Teposl ted hev'Te '/'' '° ''°''"'''' "'^" '''' ''^' ''' '^''''^ '^^^ «"" ready'to be
«HrT ^«^=- -g^i"r~ ^^"^^
Siffl Jt to recognl^e'^f n^ emerges a tiny and almost 'transparent creature
dish orange globules which are so conspicuous a feature In thHL ^rlfni. •
m the yolk-sac of the newly hatched embryo, and th^y Lie «idV " '""''^Tu'
upper side-next to the body of the flsh, R^d strS pa'C / "v .? T' ** '^^
cate the blood vessels which pour their contents bTfi'^at^S feL^n^rttto
33
thus build up Its frame Sank Rrkiln/^ , °. ^''^ ^°^^ °' *''" "^'•^'" ^''""O" ^nd
between two pebbles aeq^es „„ e'^^'l" 'l!,''^; '' ^^ '"^'•»^'°« »»>« P^^d^lous bag
through the water near the hnttnm li P°f "°°' '* '='"' ""^ shoot hither and thltUer
reebie%.br.ota:re;i\ rntoVz:;irrh'^^^^^
would be called a minnow with minute re^ snots inde.U?.^ f'"'''^ "*"''"^*-'''
= r saSr 1 - ^ n= jrrr^ r r 'V"^- --=
silvery scales iZ^LdebarlcterZe Z^llu^'^CsnlTT T^^^'"^ °' '^'«^'
attached and easily rubbed off. and he •' parr '^mtkf caf S^^^^^ T ^^^«"s»»"-^
neatb. The "parr" marks become IndlsE and'Sdrn S'fbe ^etrdl^^^^^^^^^
silvery scales when the flsh Is 6 or 8 Inches long The smolt i« s nl irt developing
e.g.!t issndt :;ithrnS:rTpr ^r 4-- =o"-«i°rs th^r.
graceful shape Cn even the adult' fish " ''"'''' ""' '°''''^ '''' '""^ "-« ''^-^^^'
met^lcaX'^ty^rbrlSantT;;^^^ Norrls "that surpasses a grilse In Its sym-
to leap from tLwa^eer^mes aid lileh.*? ^'7\ ' '^'^ ^"'^ «"« °' '""^ P°"°<^»
angler who attemptrwlthout r^riL ?o hold ' "?^^^^ *'''" ^ ^'^''"°°- ^^^^ *° ^^^^
risk of his casting line or his alurf nnnllL ♦ '. *^"^ P°"°'^« = '^^ ^°^^ " «* ^^e
desperate effort to escape " ^^ * *'"' ^ ^'''^ ''""^ "« ^^^ «^ ^^o^t In its
long'^lmf Inlhr-rrr^'ltL",/^^ "°"''' ^™'^''^ ^•^"^^ ^•^«'* ^^^^ ^e-^'-d the
It is extrTordlnary that th^gr 1 e ZumlZT'^' °*'l" '^^ "^"^ ^*""« ^^^'^ ^°^-y«"-
ten times. thoughVLlmon ,St Srial^rHerS TB^Xy'""' ^'«'' ''^
SnrhrLrriin?^^^^^^^^^^^
every signs of ripeness, both of mUt and ovr'n Eu?onein «„, '"'^'J'Jf "^^ '°"°d to show
tamed on this continent, the male grflse alone l«spZn 'f °°' ^"*' '° ^" «« ''«^^'-
that. While grilse appear" to be rarelf or neterolrved in's^^^^^^^ ' r''""^ ''''
yet m other rivers In the Dominion they abound -In JfJT ^^°^^'«:° ^aJ"!"" elvers.
New Brunswick has yielded to Z lo/urZve g Sse ban IZtZ^' Neplsslqult In
quently taking over three hundred In the course of a week or fo„i ?' ^°^''" ''«■
adult salmon could be captured. Mr c G Atkin« Thf „ ! ^''^'' "^^^^ ^^^'^'^^'y «°
thorlty. has stated that grL appea'^^o beaimtlt'^Jt, Si^IbtSrmrUnS^^^^^^^ T"
salmon rivers, but this Is certainly not usual with the rivers of rTnl-fo I ®*''*^^
observers have noticed, even In British Columbia rivers JiseLJfnS.n/..^"'^ '"^'"'
been denied that the Pacific species pass through a g£s'taTT\'«^^^^^^ ^"'
has recorded his capture of a qulnnat grilse, six pounds weight I'n JJl" ^'^^^^ ^'''°
Vancouver Island, about 14 miles from the se.-j. ' ^ Cowlchan River.
|i|B!F I|«w>w> .»^
ta
«nH n f H ?^ * *^"° " ° *""' recorded the presence of grilse In British Columbia rivers
and noted tha they attain a mature reproductive condition at a very early «Le in
Fraser River. In the fall, quinnat ^ale grilse of every size, from elgh^ Inches inwards
pass up. the milt fully developed, but usually nof sho;ing the hooked Jawl^nd
dark colours of the older males. Females, less than 18 Inches 1 J length, are rare All of
bl ,;LT; ""' T """"l'- ''"" '" '''' '''''• »"'^« ♦»>« «^«''«'» "^ «'"t JeveloS L tie
blue-backs or sockeyes of every size, down to six Inches, are also found In the unner
Co umb a n the fall, with their organs of generation fully developecl N' Ineteen- wen
i':ztTyzzr "" '"^'^^' -"' ^-^^ «' ''''- '>»- »^« '^^^^^ ^— •^ -d
fhJflu *''''."* '''"'.'■" "''^""^ '" ^^^ '"^^ «"'""«'^ «°d 'n the fall, descend as grIUe-kelts In
Imhorra ^''"■'"^- ^"""^ '""'''''*^ KHlse-kelts were liberated by the sformontMe S
ri. n t and were recaptured on the ...cent as mature salmon. When a weigh of
reaohPMn H " ' 'V'^""'"^''- «'« ««" '« """'ally recognized as a salmon, a stage geneml^y
reached In the second ascent to the original spawning grounds. The cycloid «n.le« in "be
ThP 1? rn'' '°"°' '° ""^ ^'°'"° ^™°*''*' °^" ''"•' »' t^'^'r surface, tl uBdlffe Ing from
concentrlclgs. '""""'"' '*""''' "'"° *'' "'°'^ ^^'^''^ '^ '^'''-''^^ ^-'"^ '^ ««■•'«« °' P-^""
f. JI!?''° *'^« «<^»^°°'f °' ««'«>on reach the estuary of a river they may remain only a
ver l5;.s"lsco"mmon.v77wT'';' P^'"« '''^-^' ^^'^re entering the channel of th^
Jrl!h J* commonly held to be for the purpose of acclimatizing the tlsh to their new
fresh-water conditions. To quote from a well-known authority :" It first proceeds al
ts leisure to the head of tide-w.ter. Heie It stops awhile and 8;em8:opny about be
tween the fresh and salt water. Whether It shrinks from encoZe'lug U,e s dd^n
wntar „1 t ^ ^^^^ ^'^'^ ^^^^^ °' '"°'"« h^verlug about the border line between sea
water and river water. When It has overcome Its apparent repugnance to makS the
tZ^n" f'? T'"' •' ""''''' " ^''P'^ '""^'^^ "P '^^ '•'- for th'e rar griveny J"reams
.mtl a suur^l"' ''""'I "'''? ''''' '' '' '"'''•" " '« "^«« probable tlmt the Lh delay
until a suitable temperature la reached. Curiously enough, when the schools hnve
migrated some distance up the rivers, they will linger for lon| perTods In poo espec 1 y
th?«l f '"' obstructions, during the time of the early runs of flsh. Tvlng attalueS
denosIHl7tr"'"' '""'•" '°' '''' " '''"''" '° "'^ "PP^'* ^"^ers. where proper conSltlou for
?oTth w!nl ! 'n T"! "' ^'°''^^"^' '""^ f"''''°« b««'°« r«rely earlier than the third or
fourth week In October, and rarely later than the last week In xNovember The male
ITZ L° ' *'' ?"°"' '''''''' "'^''*'^-«°'^« remarkable bodily changel while tl^e ImJe
thl growth' o'f'tr nrr'"":;'; '"'^'P' ^ ''^^P^^'^^ «* ^•^^ ^^^^y- » '-'argement. duTto
Frank Rinln^ T "'!' ?°^ ''"''"''"^ ''"^ °' ^'^^ ««««• ^he male Atlantic salmon, as
Frank Buckland characteristically said. " wears a Joseph's coat of many colours knd
Z ZfUZSui ^TT\-^^lT-^-^'r ''' ^"'""'^'^ ^'^'^ - the^s^drlXh^e^k
suU" [LnTrpf«J The hen salmon, on the contrary, wears a plain russet
suit, though red spots are occasionally noticeable, and In both a golden orange tint
tirZZ I'? '"''• '''f /""'"^ ^''^ '° *^^ '""•^ '^^-'"^^ grotesquely leSgJhS. In
the Pacflc salmon, especlaly the sockeye and the hump-back species; the back of the
male enlarges and rises Into a sharp, blade-llke ridge, while the Jaws are enormous^v
lengthened, and the teeth are greatly Increased In size and prominence The ma rsocL
eye assumes a brilliant red colour on the sides and towards the dorsum while pa ches of
The Ati^ntl!. ',*''''° "''° °''"''' ""^ *^« «'°°«^t«<^ ^''^^ are of aThaTk white colour
The Atlantic salmon energetically scoop out, In th- gravel deen holiow« n ^liTV;
iToZaT ^'^ :T^ ^"^--"^^^^ coverlng'them ^/er a prteL o u^ylng a w ek o
iltnh nt f r''°' ^'^ *'*'° ''"^" '^^ *'"'•'«•* «88« to take care of themselves and they
«nlo f T '°r'- ^^' '"'''"" ^^''t '^ eood deal, and the spawning grounds are the
scene of much excitement and turmoil. This Is as nothing compared whh the commo
^Imh "T""^^ ^'"""^^ °' '""^ ^^^'fl<^ r'^^"' ^here the numbers oTparent Z are'
!?"^.'-l^Ly_:r*- Thousands of male flsh, with open Jaws, rush about oaZ.nl.n ?he
7ui^I^^ 7T 7: u, 'u ^ ''^'*'**" spawning grounds, as a rule a shallow trlbut'arVof some
distant lake, the high-rldged backs of the males protrude above the surface of the
JndTaS'runr Z^^n 'Z ':TnVT' '''T"" "' ^"^'^ "»»'"• """<^"n« -vera
«l-r „n., ..oo«o in the To o" /^rf'", J^^^ /j^^.J '""'r.cabiy Interlocked, llke'the red
and nn8 berome Rrontly worn and L^. «nH <.' ''"" 7°"n''» ^nd starvation. The tall,
mnle flnh becon,e so .oJtln^WKonernte „s fn^?"^^ "f"*"" *'''"'" *'°'''^»- 8<"°« of the
It dooH not appear that a"y ren7 "7,"; "id .."Jr" ' "'V" '" °"""^ ""*' «PPearance.
Paclflc salmon. When doposltln/her 0^7 he emll^T^ ""|^.>-back and smaller
verted letter TT. in sldewlse fashion nnfVi" . ""' ^"■'*'^" '""" '""'y ""'e an In-
They fall promiscuous?; aL'n«"be«mleI Te :uZr T''''^ '"^""^ '" ''"»<^»-'.
terstlces and secure hiding places The flsh n fl « n ,"*'/f' '" '""^'"^ "'«"> '"'o ">"
n"lte exposed above the surface of the "jt, i n /, °' "«'>"«'""« «'« eggs, often I.
them by actively scattering tul milt over .h" """ """' '''^'' '^'""^ ^y' '^'•tlll/.es
".oment the eggs are throwS Into h water the 21! n"*', '""': '""• ^^-'»"««"y. »t the
nnd glea„,lDK teeth to attack a rl „? Se muT In ! '"'"'' "^"^ ^^"'"^ °P''° "^«»t''
of ova. After the spawning Is done the emacSlrt fl«. ,'*'"""''• "*" *'"°rmous waste
to pool on their return to the sea The e^nn j.".. f ''^ «r««i'mlly Uown from pool
n.ul. as Buckland snvs. they ar^Mn „ "If , •.*''"*^,''' '^^K^'^'-rnte t,«h a-e called " kelts,"
the road." In Scottrsh rivm milte a 1^.1 '^ T 'i'"''™'"*' ^°""»'"°- "'"">• "-V"* ««
'""Jorlty being male fls . , .' d "ad ^nTs be n ''' "' "'" """^ '°""" """^ «nnu„lly*the
Scottish river showing tl at 71(^. .iln f *^ '■'"■^' '""'''' '■"'•"'• •' <»>" record on one
the vastly greater mfm •' o C 1 Id.mU Tth T' m ""' '° '^ ^""^«- ^^ "--"" o?
8..l.sequent to the npawnlng perlori ^n rmou „mM ' T'''' '''' ''^"'^ «'"' °'^««"«d'
that none of them ever return to the so" are " p..„."'m "'° '""'-' '° ""* »""'"'"' °«"on
the ocean, and a large pronortlon fnu . Probably uone of them ever return to
".nuy authorities ag'L tlfough tl ^^ o^nnTT' ?'" ''''"""'' •^''^'''"^- '" *">« v°ew
Thus, nn authority tays' Of rrrcTflc'snlmJfn' ''' °""'"" "'''^^ "^"^ '""^ ^-'^'-'-•
.t. f:.r;;f;^zxz:^ i:;r=',^Xif s " r r^' -^^ «— tneai
and fins fray off; a white and iZ "some f™ '^ I,""'' ""*^" "'^^"' ""« = their tails
qnently destroying their eyesight anTir^' ? •'"? "^'^ "" P"^^« °' t^^-". 're-
flshes-walt about them to feed uL "Eelr nr ^ °' «"^'''«'-«-t>»^ carrlon-blrds among
known and strange reason, the sEn in ^p t. h'^"' ?. ^'^'^^ '""'^ •^'^- ^«r some un
the salt water, which wou d c?ean he" • ?,o L nf m ^ *''"'"^"'-'^« ^^ °ot hasten back to
their appetite, and with It the r health nnSS° '"', P"""""'"' ""'^ '""«"« «"'» restore
difference to their fate, around the snots wbVr 7 ' ?"* '''''' ""^^^' ^'"'^ '^ «t™°Se «"-
patiently for the only possible reJlef from t^T, "^ ^ave deposited their eggs, waiting
uninformed persons, who la e never lln ^'•«t''"edness. which Is death. Some
pressed some incredidlty^negnrrto the „l.ll ?'"" ""'"''"' ''''''^' ^^^« «^-
The same authority goes on to sav thnf it ^ f ^l*"' "'*^^' '""^^ «Pa^ned.
the ocean return to tlfe ocean and ^'co^r their'?, 'm'' T ''"'' ''"''' *^"^ «P"^" °^ar
to make sure whether I was mlstn.-en^n """'*'• ''"* ^'^'^'^''^ ^^^^^r do. In order
ago. of an the white men who hTvt Sved or woT.''°"h"' V""'' '''' ^^^""-^' ^ ^^^^
I could reach. It was the unanimous testily. ? ?w "' '■*'"' "'^'^ °^ *•" *»"« ^"dlana
MeCloud station In the summer oTtheUwaTup « e' v ''I ' *'' '"""°° "'"^'^ P"«« ^"^^
never return to the ocean * ■• ^ "^ "'^ "''*' *° ^P'^^^'^- die In the river and
r^-^T.nrXZ::i^^^^^^^^ -,--. - fun of .gour after
the ablest authorities In British cSaS A, /^^™°;! '" *"" '""• ^'^'^«*^d, one of
"1 have every reason to believe thatTo^ inlfr'^"'^^ ^'''°' °' ^'^*°^"^- «C- ^ays.
the fresh M-ater before returning to the sea I hTv. . , '""'^'"' "°^ ^^^° recuperate In
son that were strong enough to^make ^00^ flght SlT'if ' ''^ ''^ ^°^*^ '^^"'"P"
these from returning. At one time It was s.mnfl; I / '"^ '^^ °*'^^'°^ ^^ P^-event
ate this opinion seems to be much Ldlfled ^ZeelSv Z'T'"" ''''' ^'^ ^' ^"^ «'
to the spring salmon, or qulnnat Mv n^ll^L f P^^'''"^' »^'^- Green adds, with regard
backs would indicate that SeJ do not by an^mtT T^J'^^'^ '" '''''''''' '^"^ hump
of cases, very vigorous, and when secured bvhir fu^\'^'' "''• '° « '"^^ ""-"ber
Of the back, they exhibit extraordln.rv ttren^, ^ ""'' ^'^ ^"'"^ ^°'^'^ '« '^^ ^'dire
iraoramary strength and gameness. tbougi,, of course, such
35
their first dencent to the sea ^ "*^'^ '° "'^"' ""*'*« "-Iver,. after making
or.i;"srio^?:^;2re:tzcr:-„r,t?tr; ,^r^^ r -"""-• -- '"- --„.
n.nrk« thinks that a 1,,-foot Jump 1h possn.IM ',17/r'''".'" """"^ """• "^- A' I'««J-
"<- rail to be aHcen,!od. A recent ot'ser^r Dr R T m 'J''' """' '"""^'''"^'".v under
lenp falls 18 feet high, and sunnort. hT/)i! . ;. 7' ^^''"^''' "^''^'•'» ^^at salmon can
will certainly atten.Jt o mo u,?Tl f Jl n eHn °° ""' T?"'"^''' P^otographH. HaZl
n ascendlnK. the schools Jmve been kn^' ''';'; '1"",,"^' forblddlrg falls an.l cascades.
LlvluKstone Stone estimates the ra^^ in m I """"'f'""' « distance of 40 mi^s In a day.
'>ln nt three n.lles a dnv bu sllmon Ih' """""?"'*' "' ''"' '^""' "«'' '« "'t' Colum:
"n-llKcsted In their slo; ct^ aMtLr Zl o'r "'""; ""' ''^^" '*'""" -'"' «^"-«»^
enrller runs appear to be n.ost leL eiv ami n.ST' """' '*" """">■ ''''"''''■ The
rate of progress by the condition of t'e^^^^rnH T"""'"' '"•^'^•^"- ^" "•""'"^'^ ♦heir
ticaly oat nothing. Dr Noe r?lnVr! V '" °''"'"'- '" *h*'l'" «««'n^ f'^v prac-
pocliar defeneration Of t" CuortZ'llnZT.^T'^''' ""'"'"" ""^'^ Bhown'tlmt a
cnlled. fliling ,t„ H.ambcr with a dc«, onfrJ "'^ P'""''' " ""'^tarrh" It n.ay be
occur. n,i.l rcn.lerlnB the or^an rncapaWeTd L^r''/'' "! '"" ''^•^^"«'-«*e ^^"« I-a-ely
been nctK-od In some of the fresh S'lmonn.u.p' 'unctfons. The same feature has
«ton,ach precluding the poRslbni^of „„rl iT !/^'''"''''''""*^- """ "^'"''^ *'""'1'"°° "^ the
course, be Impossible tor tl £•" 1"^ hLl*"' " '" """ ''"^'^'^ ''''''" " ^^"'"d- «'
composInK them, to obtain anv fc^od ' thp n h, ""'"""' "'' ''"' ^""^ '"'"'^'^■'•« "f ««"
law applies to the schools of salmon inaHrivers"' '""' "' '"' '""' Pl'-V^'loloKlcal
to th:rorru-r x:;r'"on"irtw:f '•"""^/^'■'•^^^'^ ^^^--^ ^"-^ -'»- ---
tl.e Mlram.chl. an.lers nl^p LtL IflslTermenrve "I'"''""/':"'"' '''" «-tl«ouche and
are practically adjacent, the schoo? befoiu nL^t^on 7''' ^'^'^ "'"'' ^^""^"^ "'« ■•'^•"«
deed, the dlflTerence In size and loLlnfZ^l f '^''^'^ ''^''''' *"^t*''' ♦''« other ; in-
distinguish them at oncf ^s 1/ " ^ ' T'""'^ '"''' *'"' ^''^ "'" °" *^« '^'^^
St. .Tohn Rivor are unlike ™ e of t e f.ilT' 'n '\?'' '''''"'''^' ""^ «"""«" »'
Identical In general appearance and b, lid ^^hfhr,' T'''' """ "^'''^ «' """" "^e
Bay of Chaleurs. Some accuratrexner In/ ■ *^f"'e ""tire to the rivers around the
the most part, return to the r o^n rS anto % m '","^1, 'a'T'"' ''"* ^"''"°° ^°- ^•>''
wards caught ascending the same rl'er and tb///.' 00'*^ ^'^ '"* ^''''' ^^ ^-'^'^ «""••-
at distances of from half a mile to 5 mUo, f n^ m ? ?'"' **'''" '" ^^'^ "''«' "'^ts
may not be so strictly true to hi« In l . ^^^^' ''""^^ '^''^'- '^^'^ Pacific salmon
stress on It. but eZAsLsoZVr^T'VT^^^^ ""'* '''''''''' J"rd»« >«.v« "ttle
Btream. He says : ^on^ewhat accidental this supposed fidelity to its native
.eacl;VheL?o^■e't^n"tspI7n"rth: samel'' "f "'^ '"'' ''^' «^-'"' '-"-t which
hatched. We fall to SndTny evidence of Jf^.^'^ ^^^-^^where they were originally
and we do not believe It to be true rf I ^ ^"'^ °' "^^ ^"^''^'^ <^oa8t salmon,
hatched m any river Itlv reml^ln he ocZTm T"^'^'''-^ ''''' '""^ ^"""'^ «"•'"<>«
forty miles of Its mouth. These In their 1..' . ^'° " '"'""" ''^ ^^^^'^ti'- t^^'^y. or
contact with the cold waters of their pterrrerforr', '" *'%°''"°' "'^^ ^°'"«'"»°
considerable distance from the shore Tnt^ ' P"^«P«- of any other Uver. at a
their . instinct • seems toTea^hm to ascend thr^f?,?' ?'""''' ""'^ '""^ '''^'■'''^^'
cases, these waters will be those In which tZ « h , ^ '^''**'''' ^°''' "^ "^ majority of
Later In the season, the growth of The renr„H" h"' *'"''"°" '''"'■" originally spawned.
Shore and search f;r fresh waters a^^ 1" t^,^V"'''°' ''"'' '""'"^ ''^ "^^'"^'^^ the
original stream." ' ^""^ ^"" ^''^ chances are that they may find the
36
ZlZ.Tr- I? *^^. ^"'°'«" hatcheries, the female salmon caugHt often exceed the
ma e ; but, on the other hund, In some ,-eai-«. as in 1803, there was a ?ar«e TuvTlLot
To dofbt thl VI'' h" 'Z '' ^'^'^^ ''^™'"'' «*^' ^^y ^- ferUliTed by ?:eXe male
in wih th» ^1°^°'^^"°' °' *•>« «««« vary according to the portion of lie year
unl the iiL^?T^'^ ".' "f*"'' ^' '''''' "^ ««>"°^« '«' thinking that In the earUes
ZlJ. h!. ? , ^ predominate and the parent salmon taken for the Dominion Gov-
Tn allat he'wir "'T."^ \'"* ^'' '"'"^'^ "'"''" •^"°«- ^^ °>°«t rivers, salmon
ac^el^SHn^thn . l.J^^ "^ '"""^ 'P^'^'''' condition In the season retarding or
accelerating the ascent of these main runs. " In America," said Dr. Browne Goode "the
TTZl f r V? '° ^'"'^ '''' ^""^«* fl«^- 1° Connecticut they Ippear In ApJu
and JulJ' 1 fJh '"'""" '° ^"^ '^"'^ •'"°^' '° '""^ P^^^b'^^"* «"««* abundantly in J^ne
h. in^ / the period of spawning, but to the early or late appearance In general of
ejected ITll '"/'"°°- I""' ''^""' ^^*^^^° ^«^°" "^"^ <^^°^«». '«• «« n>lght be
oSntn nrr,?" '^J'"' Tn ^^' ^^'"^ '' " '"*« "-^^^^ ' ^^' ^^e rlvers of the east coast
^fi f **" ^"'''■^' '^''"® ^^°^^ P""""'"* 'oto the Atlantic are late.
DlloatpVn'!!! ^n^n'!^'""'' '»'^^°*°« ««''°°'» approach their rivers Is really a somewhat com-
ber bSt thf n^'l^'f '' *° ''?'°^ ^""^^ °^"^^ "P"'^ '^'^^l '^'^t"'^^ •" the respective
[Ilfil'i , . ^ "*''• '"''""'^ '"■ ot»^"^««e, at which salmon return, or rather the
^terval elapsing between their descent and their next ascent, has beei a matter for
Ztifv^w M, l^P«^''"«°t« '" No-^^ay ^'learly proved that some «almon spawn
annually, but while the proof was not conclusive that all do not do so, the fact that In a
„"■ hri"""?'" ^'^ f!" ""''' *'""«'^* '° *^« ^"* y«" '°"°^^°^' ^'^e;eas 3?were taken
certaL nmlts ^^'"' ''""°*^' «"PP°'-ts the experiments on the Penobscot River within
Of the growth of salmon, there is much accurate information, though the records
rge"xxr;o?nte7;r"-,. tV ''^^; '"o-"^ ^•"^'""^ ^^^^^ (Departmentaf Report TsS
page XX.) pointed out, "It takes nearly 250 alevlns to make up an ounce yet In sixteen
The flsh seeTsfhl t '"V^"' '' '''''''''' ^°^ ^^^^^^ --^^^ later, when a a mo t
the flsh seeks the sea and becomes, after twelve or fifteen weeks more, a grilse of seven
pounds or eight pounds weight i.e., achieved, an increase of 68 times his own weight S
whenJfe^MonriJ"-" i,^ ''''"" ' '* '''' ''''' "^^^''^ ^''^"^^ ^ P°"°<J« o7lO poSdi"
when 3 feet long, 16 or 17 pounds, and when of the length of 4 feet the welstht is iiRnniiv
50 pounds. Fish, 60, 70 and 80 pounds In weight are taken In some rlTef bit th^^^^^^
crease to hese enormous weights Is accompanied mainly by an tncreas; In vertlcJ
n2e nfA.H Ti "'''''°'''' '^''''' '•^^^ '^^^t'^- TJ^^ well-known expertaents S thelt
salmon 10 n anTlof'"*' V '^"'"^^ '° ^«'«^* '° '''' '^''' «p'«« «' «'^ ton^^l"
resSveiy ' ^'^ *° ^ ""''*'* "' °° '''' ^'^^^ '"' '« ^""^ ^» P°°°<1«
fafthi TZ": ''?'"' "'?.''' "'^""^"y °"^*"'^^' (f^ *»>« grilse kelt desddlng to the sea
anc?^Sa^lrln ScmTsrecSe: ^^^"°"^^ "''^°° ''''''' ^^"^"^^ ^^^ '°- -"^ '^PP-
is eiSU Zir o?ScX?"^°* "^"""^ ''' ''^ "^^ «''''"^" ''-"• -^ *^''
entednglreCwater"'' *" ''''' ""' *'"'' "*"'"'" "'^""^ ^^^"""^ non-effldent after
fhoiJl^fn"*'*' '■'Z^'' '"'' "' '*'^° '^•'^ °' «'*''°°°' ^^^'^^ sl»ow local peculiarities : and
these, in the main, return to their own rivers. "aiiuea , ana
(Vr.)-Female salmon frequently predominate.
37
(VII.)— Salmon spawn annually, though some may spawn biennially, or In alternate
years.
{VIII.)-Adult salmon grow rapidly In the sea, and may double their weight In six
months.
(IX.)-There are runs of salmon which return without spawning, apparently omlttlna
spawning for a year. '' *