SALMON, SEA-TROUT, TROUT
AND OTHER FRESHWATER FISH
AGENTS
AMERICA . . THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
64 & 66 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK
AUSTRALASIA THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
205 FLINDERS LANE, MELBOURNE
CANADA . . THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LTD.
ST. MARTIN'S HOUSE, 70 BOND STREET, TORONTO
INDIA . . . MACMILLAN & COMPANY, LTD.
MACMILLAN BUILDING, BOMBAY
309 Bow BAZAAR STREET. CALCUTTA
LIFE-HISTORY AND HABITS
OF THE SALMON
SEA-TROUT, TROUT, AND
OTHER FRESHWATER FISH
BY
P. D. MALLOCH
LONDON
ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK
Eirsl Edition, published January 1910.
Second Edition, published May 1912.
PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION
WHEN I published the first edition of this work, less than two years
ago, little did I think the publishers would call upon me to issue a
second within so short a period. It is most gratifying, indeed, to me
to know that my endeavours to give reliable information about the
" Life- History of the Salmon' have been so well received. The
press notices and the private letters I have received from all parts of
the world have greatly cheered and encouraged me in this work, and
I take this opportunity of thanking all for their favourable comments.
During last year I devoted what spare time I had to the study of
scales from fish which had returned a second time from the sea, the
results of which are embodied in this edition.
There are thirty-five new illustrations added.
P. D. MALLOCH.
PERTH, January 1912.
PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION
FISH and their ways have at all times engaged the attention of the
writer, and the outcome of these studies has been the production
of this volume. Within its pages he has endeavoured to clear up
many points relative to the history of salmon and trout which have
until lately remained a mystery. So many unsatisfactory theories
have been advanced, that he determined to take full advantage of
his position as Manager of the Tay Salmon Fisheries Co., Ltd., and
do all in his power to investigate and further our knowledge regard-
ing this most interesting branch of Natural History. With this end
in view, the marking of smolts on their way to the sea, and their
recapture afterwards, have been extensively carried- on, and their
weight, date of capture, and the particular run to which they be-
longed, have been carefully recorded.
Hitherto it was believed that salmon smolts returned as grilse
the same year as they went down to the sea, but a study of the smolt
does not bear this out. Again, the writer shows that the large
Spring salmon, the small Spring salmon, and also the " Summer
Run," are on their first return from the sea, and not from the kelt
grilse as many supposed. Evidence is also given that the so-called
salmon bull-trout is not a trout, but a true salmon which has spawned,
and consequently has become altered in appearance and white in the
flesh. From a study of the scales the age of a fish can be arrived
VI 1
Vlll
Preface to First Edition
at, and with the help of the numerous illustrations the reader will be
able to refer any fish to the particular run to which it belongs, to
ascertain its weight and age, and how often it has returned to fresh
water. Although about sixty illustrations of scales are given,
thousands had to be collected at all seasons and examined carefully,
so that a definite conclusion could be arrived at. The illustrations
are from photographs which, with one or two exceptions, were taken
by the author from selected specimens.
To Mr. Charles Baker, High Holborn, London, he is indebted
for enlarging the photographs of the scales; to the Swantype Co.,
for the blocks from which the illustrations are taken ; and to the
printers, Messrs. R. & R. Clark, who have carried out the work to
his entire satisfaction.
P. D. MALLOCH.
PERTH, December 1909.
CONTENTS
PAGE
THE SALMON . . . , . . . i
SEA-TROUT .... 153
HABITS AND HISTORY OF THE BROWN TROUT . 187
LOCH LEVEN TROUT . .228
THE GRAYLING 239
THE CHAR . .242
THE PIKE . . . .247
THE PERCH . . 250
THE TENCH . . 253
THE STICKLEBACK . . 2^5
THE MINNOW . .257
THE COMMON EEL . . . . 259
RAINBOW TROUT . .264
MONSTROSITIES . 269
HYBRIDS . . . . .276
VENDACE ... . .277
GWYNIAD ...... .279
THE POWAN OF LOCH LOMOND . . 281
THE FLOUNDER ... . . 284
ALLIS SHAD ... . . .288
THE LOACH ... . . . . 291
THE LAMPREY . ... 292
ILLUSTRATIONS
FIG. PAGE
1. Alevins ...... . . i
2. Parr, life size, one year old. 1st April 1903 . . . . .2
3. Salmon Parr, life size. River Dochart, September 1906 . . .3
4. Life-size Parr, one year old. Parr, two years old. Smolt, two years. April 1905 4
5. Real Smolts, life size, with their silvery coat complete, on their way to the sea.
ist May 1905 ........ 5
6. Life-size Smolt. ist May 1905 . . . . . .6
7. Smolts, life size, with the scales taken off, showing the parr bands and spots of
the parr. ist May 1905 ....... 7
8. Smolts confined until 6th June, with the silver scales taken off, showing the
parr bands below ........ 8
9. Life-size Parr and Trout, showing the difference between the two . . 9
10. Loch Leven Trout and Salmon Smolt, both with their silvery coat. June 1906 . 10
11. Stormontfield Ponds on the Tay, erected 1852 . . . . .15
12. Smolt, showing how ring is fastened in dorsal fin . . . .16
13. Real Smolts, life size, two years old. Same as marked 1st May 1905 . .17
14. First Marked Grilse. Marked as Smolt May 1905. Caught ist June 1906.
Weight 2 Ibs. 1 5 oz. . . . . . . .18
15. Mark of first Grilse, ist June 1906 . . . . . .18
1 6. Male Grilse, 4^ Ibs., caught 26th June 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905 . 19
17. Female Grilse, 5! Ibs. Caught 4th July 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905 . 20
18. Male Grilse, 5 Ibs. Tay, 1 5th July 1907 . . . . .21
19. Marked Grilse, 3^ Ibs., 3rd July 1906. Smolt marked May 1905 . . 22
20. Female Grilse, 9 Ibs. The Tay, ist August 1906 . . . .23
21. Male Grilse, 14 Ibs. The Tay, 2oth August 1902 . . .24
22. Male Grilse, 10 Ibs. The Tay, loth August 1906 . . . .26
23. Tay Salmon, 9^ Ibs. Marked as Smolt May 1905, caught iSth February 1907.
First return from the sea . . . . . . .27
24. Small Spring fish, 8| Ibs. 6th April 1907 ... .28
25. Small Spring fish, 13 Ibs. 3oth April 1907 . . . . .30
xi
Xll
Illustrations
FIG. PAGE
26. Autumn Salmon, iSi Ibs. Caught iSth July 1907. Marked as Smolt May
1905. First return from the sea . . . . . .31
27. Mark of iS^-lb. Salmon shown, caught iSth July 1907 . . . .32
28. Male Salmon, 27 Ibs. 9th August 1907. Marked as Smolt May 1905. Largest
caught up till this date. First return from the sea . . . -33
29. Large Spring Salmon, 15 Ibs. First caught, 7th February 1908. Marked as
Smolt May 1905. First return from the sea . . . .34
30. Showing mark of 15-lb. Spring Salmon. First caught, 7th February 1908.
Marked as Smolt May 1905 . . . . . -35
31. i3-lb. marked Salmon. Caught ijth February 1908. Marked as Smolt 1905 . 36
32. 35-lb. marked Salmon. Caught at Almond mouth, on the Tay, 3ist March
1908. Marked as Smolt, about i^ oz., May 1905, having been in the sea
nearly three years. Age five years . . . . . -37
33. Male Salmon, 27 Ibs. February 1904. First return from the sea . . 38
34. Tay Female Salmon, 30 Ibs. 2nd August 1907. First return from the sea . 39
35. Tay Male Salmon, 40 Ibs. March 1905. First return from the sea . . 40
36. Tay Female Salmon, 40 Ibs. First return from the sea . . .40
37. Showing mark of first small Spring fish, 9! Ibs., caught iSth February 1907.
Marked as Smolt May 1905 . . . . . -4'
38. 7-lb. Female Kelt Grilse. March 1903 . . . . .42
39. (i) So-called Tay Bull-Trout, 30 Ibs. Second return from the sea, having
spawned. (2) Salmon, 30 Ibs. August 1905. First return from the sea,
has not spawned . . ... . . . .43
40. 7-lb. Kelt, small Spring fish. March 1908 . . . . .44
41. Female 12-lb. Kelt Autumn Salmon, immediately after spawning. The Don,
i i th February 1 900 . . . . . . .45
42. Female Salmon, 26^ Ibs. Marked as a Smolt May 1905. Caught on 5th July
1909 . ... .47
43. Scale of 26l-lb. Salmon. Marked as a Smolt May 1905. Caught 5th July 1909 48
44. Female Salmon on spawning-bed, turning up the gravel with her tail. November
1904 53
45. Salmon Spawning-Bed on the Tay . . . . . .54
46. Salmon Spawning-Bed (enlarged) . . . . . .54
47. Showing Salmon-Beds diverting the water where the gravel is raised, River
Duart More, Sutherland . . . . . . -55
48. Salmon, Male and Female. Female turned on her side, turning up the gravel
with her tail . . . . . . . .56
49. Salmon Spawning, Male and Female. November 1904 . . -57
50. Showing Salmon Spawning-Beds on River Almond. November 1905 . . 58
51. 25-lb. Female Baggot or Rawner. The Don, i6th February 1899 . . 60
Illustrations
Xlll
FIG. PAGE
52. The same Rawner, showing the ova . ". . . . .60
53. Scale of Parr. April 1905 ..... .66
54. Scale of Parr. i oz. August 1904 . . . . . .66
55. Scale of Parr. 1 1 oz. Stormontfield Ponds. igth March 1908 . 66
56. Scale of Smolt. i *• oz. April 1905 . . . . . .66
57. Scale of Grilse. i^lbs. 4th May 1907. North Esk . . . -67
58. Scale of Grilse. 2^ Ibs. 4th May 1906. North Esk ... 67
59. Scale of Grilse. 3 Ibs. ist June 1905 . . . . .68
60. Scale of Grilse. Marked as Smolt May 1905. Caught 26th June 1906. 5! Ibs. 68
61. Scale of Grilse. 7 Ibs. 28th July 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905 . 69
62. Scale of Grilse. 10 Ibs. 8th August 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905 . 69
63. Scale of Grilse. ic4 Ibs. iSth August 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905 70
64. Scale of Autumn Salmon. 7 Ibs. 2oth July 1907 . . . .71
65. Scale of Small Spring Salmon. 10 Ibs. igth February 1907 . . .72
66. Scale of Small Spring Salmon. 9! Ibs. i8th February 1907. .Marked as
Smolt May 1905 ........ 74
67. Scale of Small Spring Salmon. IO.L Ibs. iith April 1907. Marked as Smolt
May 1905 . 75
68. Scale of Small Spring Salmon. 6 Ibs. 8th March 1907 . . -75
69. Scale of Small Spring Salmon. 10^ Ibs. 1 5th March 1907 . . .76
70. Scale of Summer Salmon. 12}, Ibs. 6th May 1907. Marked as Smolt May 1905 77
71. Scale of Summer Salmon. 11 Ibs. I4th June 1907. Marked as Smolt May 1905 77
72. Scale of Autumn Salmon. Marked as Smolt May 1905. Caught 1 8th July
1907. i S^ Ibs. ........ 78
73. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. 27 Ibs. 27th June 1907 . . .79
74. Scale of Autumn Salmon. 18^ Ibs. 3rd August 1907. Marked as Smolt May
1905 . 79
75. Scale of Autumn Salmon. 18 Ibs. 2Oth August 1907. Marked as Smolt May
1905 ...... .80
76. Scale of Autumn Salmon. iSlbs. 2Oth August 1907 . . . .80
77. Scale of Autumn Salmon. 15 Ibs. igih September 1907. Caught with fly
by M. T. Martin, Esq., at Stanley. Marked as Smolt May 1905 . . Si
78. Scale of 14-lb. Kelt. 27th March 1906 . . .81
79. Scale of Large Spring Salmon. 38^ Ibs. I3th February 1908 . . 82
50. Scale of Large Spring Salmon. 35 Ibs. Marked as Smolt May 1905. Caught
3ist March 1908 . . . . . . . 83
51. Scale of Large Spring Salmon. 18 Ibs. 23rd March 1908. Marked as Smolt
May 1905. Second return from the sea . . . . .83
82. 14-lb. Female Kelt, immediately after spawning, still showing the dark colour.
24th January 1907 . ..... 84
Illustrations
XIV
FIG. PAGE
83. 12-lb. Female Kelt, soon after having spawned. 24th January 1907 . 84
84. Scale of Kelt. I4lbs. 2/th March ... 85
85. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. 40 Ibs. i5th May 1906 . . 86
86. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. 57^ Ibs. 24th May 1907 . . .87
87. Scale of Large Autumn Salmon. Marked ic4-lb. Kelt, i6th March 1906.
Caught clean, 27 Ibs., 8th August 1907 . . . .88
88. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. Marked as Kelt, 16 Ibs., February 1904.
Caught 1 8th June 1905, 34 Ibs. . . ... 89
89. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. 40 Ibs. 26th June 1907 . . .90
90. Scale of Large Autumn Salmon. 47 Ibs. August 1906. Shannon. First
return from the sea . . . . . . . .91
91. Scale of Large Autumn Salmon. 50 Ibs. loth August 1907. First return
from the sea . . . . . . . .92
92. Scale of Large Autumn Salmon. 40 Ibs. August 1906. First return from the sea 93
93. Scale of Large Spring Salmon. 65 Ibs. 6th June 1907. Norway . . 94
94. Scale of Large Autumn Salmon. Marked as Kelt, II Ibs., I2th February 1906.
Caught clean, 26 Ibs., loth July 1907 . . . . -95
95. Scale of Large Summer Salmon. 61 Ibs. i3th July 1902. Tay. First
return from the sea ........ 96
96. Scale of Male Salmon. 14 Ibs. 2oth August 1911 . -97
97. Scale of Small Spring Fish. 3^ Ibs. 5th February 1911 . . 97
98. i4-lb. Male Salmon. 2oth August 1911. Second return from the sea . . 98
99. Scale of Small Spring Fish. 7! Ibs. 22nd February 1911 . . .99
100. Scale of 2O-lb. Salmon. 2oth August 1911. Third return from the sea . 100
101. Scale of Large Spring Salmon. 35 Ibs. 3rd April 1911. Second return from
the sea . . . . . . . . .100
1 02. Scale of 26-lb. Salmon. loth July 1907. Second return from the sea . 101
103. Scale of ig-lb. Salmon. 8th March. Second return from the sea . . 101
104. Scale of 24-lb. Salmon. 2oth June 1911. Second return from the sea . 102
105. Scale of 7-lb. Salmon. 2oth July 1907. Second return from the sea . . 103
1 06. Scale of 24-lb. Salmon. i ith April 1911. Second return from the sea 103
107. Scale of 13-lb. Salmon. iith April 1911. Second return from the sea . 104
108. Scale of 2O-lb. Salmon. iith April 1911. Second return from the sea . 104
109. Scale of 35-lb. Salmon. 2Oth August 1910. Second return from the sea . 105
i 10. Scale of Large Spring Female Salmon. 22 Ibs. Norway, 9th June 1910 . 107
i i i. Scale of Female Salmon. 32 Ibs. i2th June 1910. Second return from the sea 108
112. Scale of Large Spring Female Salmon. 23 Ibs. 26th June 1910 . . 108
113. Scale of Large Spring Female Salmon. 29 Ibs. 28th June 1910 . . 109
i 14. Scale of Male Salmon. 36 Ibs. 29th June 1910. Second return from the sea i 10
115. Scale of Large Spring Male Salmon. 3Oth June 1910 . . . 110
Illustrations
XV
FIG. PAGE
116. Scale of Female Salmon. 35 Ibs. 6th July 1910. Third return from the sea ill
i 17. Scale of Large Spring Female Salmon. i ith July 1910 .112
i 1 8. Scale of Large Spring Male Salmon. 9th June 1910 . . . . 112
119. Scale of Male Salmon > Xamsen). 14 Ibs. 7th June 1911. Second return
from the sea . . . . . . . .113
120. Scale of Female Salmon (Xamsen). 35 Ibs. I2th May 1911. Second return
from the sea . . . . . . . .114
121. Scale of Male Salmon (Xamsen). 27 Ibs. I2th June [911. Second return
from the sea . . . . . . . .115
122. Scale of Female Salmon (Xamsen). 38 Ibs. I7th June 191 i. Second return
from the sea . . . . . . . i 1 6
123. Scale of Large Spring Male Salmon (Xamsen). 36 Ibs. I7th June 1911 i 16
124. Scale of Large Salmon. 62 Ibs. . . . . . .117
125. Scale of Tyee Salmon (Campbell Riveri. 35 Ibs. 2Oth August 1910 . 118
126. Scale of Choe Salmon (Vancouver). 14 Ibs. 4th September 1910 . . 119
127. 7i-lb. Salmon, caught in the Tay, 2ist June 1870. Length, 52 in.; girth, 32 in. 121
128. 57^-lb. Male Salmon. 4 ft. 5^ in. long ; 2 ft. 4^ in. girth. The Tay, 24th
May 1907 .......
129. 52-lb. Male Salmon. The Tay, June 1907. First return from the sea
130. 53-lb. Male Salmon, caught with fly by the late Lord Blythswopd. The Tay,
October . . . . . . . . .124
131. 55-lb. Male Salmon, caught with prawn by Captain Goodwin. October 1904 . 124
132. 44-lb. Male Shannon Salmon. May 1902 . . . . .125
133. 47-lb. Male Salmon, caught with fly by the late Lord Blythswood. October 1903 126
134. Head of a 63-!!). Male Salmon, caught by the rod on the Tay, October 1907 . 127
135. jS-lb. Tay Male Salmon. June . . . . . .128
136. 47-lb. Tay Male Salmon, caught by the late Lord Cairns . . .129
137. 6-oz. Smolt, confined in Bertha Loch six months after becoming a smolt.
September 1905 ...... .130
138. 4-02. Smolt, confined in Bertha Loch five months after becoming a smolt.
August 1907 ...... 131
139. S-oz. large Smolt, two years old, confined in Stormontfield Ponds a year after
becoming a smolt. Also ii oz. Smolt, two years old . . .132
140. 1 2-oz. Smolt, confined one year after becoming a Smolt. May 1905 . 133
141. 8-oz. Smolt, confined in Bertha Loch fourteen months after becoming a smolt.
ist July 1905 . .134
142. 1 2-oz. Smolt, confined in Bertha Loch fifteen months after becoming a smolt.
July 1904 . . 135
143. (i) 8-oz. Loch Dupplin Trout. (2) 12-oz. Smolt, confined in Loch Dupplin
sixteen months after becoming a smolt. August 1904 . . .136
XVI
Illustrations
FIG. PAGE
144. 2-lb. Smolt, confined in reservoir two years after becoming a smolt . .137
145. Live Salmon with disease, under shade of a tree. December 1903 . .144
146. iS-lb. Female Salmon, unspawned. November 1900 . . . . .145
147. Two Male 4O-lb. Salmon, unspawned, found together as shown, cast up on
the beach. December 1906 . . . . . .146
148. i6-lb. Female Salmon, partly spawned, almost dead. November 1906 . 147
149. Showing fungus developed after the fish was dead for a considerable time . 148
150. 7-lb. Male Grilse, showing fungus partly developed on head. December 1905 . 149
151. 2o-lb. Female, showing fungus fully developed on head. December 1904 . 150
152. igi-lb. Sea-Trout. Largest ever caught in the Tay. June 1908 . . 154
153. Salmon, showing number of scales from adipose fin to lateral line to be ten . 155
154. Sea-Trout, showing scales from the adipose fin to the lateral line . .156
155. Life-size Yellow-fin Smolt of the Sea-Trout, ist May 1905 . . .157
156. Life-size Yellow-fin Smolts of Sea-Trout, going to sea. River Tay. ist May 1905 158
157. i-lb. \Yhitling. First return from the sea. July 1900 . . . .159
158. 12-oz. Sea-Trout, confined in Bertha Loch one year after becoming a smolt.
June 1906 . . . . . . . . .160
159. i -Ib. \Yhitling. April 1904 ....... 161
160. i^-lb. Sea-Trout. I5th May 1904. Second return from the sea . .162
161. 2^-lb. Sea-Trout, ist July 1904 . . . . . .162
162. 2-lb. Sea-Trout, caught in the Tay 5th February 1907 . . . .163
163. Scale of Yellow-fin. i^ oz. 27th April 1907 . . . 164
164. Scale of Sea-Trout. i Ib. Caught at sea, 3ist July 1907 . . 164
165. Scale of Sea-Trout, gibs. Coquet, 25th July 1907 .... 165
1 66. i8^-lb. Sea-Trout, caught in the Tay June 1900 . . . .166
167. i4-lb. Tay Sea-Trout. I4th August 1906 . . . .167
1 68. 7-lb. Sea-Trout, from the Coquet, Northumberland. 25th July 1907 . .168
169. Sea-Trout from the Coquet, average 7 Ibs. 25th July 1907 . . .169
170. Supposed by fishermen on the Coquet to be a cross between Salmon and Sea-
Trout. 9 Ibs. 9th July 1907 . . . . . .170
171. (i) 7-lb. Grilse. (2) 7-lb. Sea-Trout. 7th July 1906. The Tay . . 171
172. 8-lb. Sea-Trout. The Tay. igth August 1907 .... 172
I73- (0 8-lb. Sea-Trout. (2) 5-lb. Grilse. Tay. ijth July 1907 . . 173
174. Different types of Sea-Trout, 2 Ibs. to 8 Ibs. The Tay. August 1905 . 174
175. Different types of Sea-Trout. The Tay. August 1905 . . .175
176. Sea-Trout, caught with fly in the sea. Scourie, Sutherland. July 1904 176
177. Heads of Sea-Trout. July 1907 . .... 177
178. 5-lb. Kelt Sea-Trout, from the River Earn. March 1901 . . .178
179. Gill of a 2o-lb. Salmon which has spawned and returned as a clean fish, showing
maggots on gill, which is partly eaten away . . . . i So
Illustrations
XVll
FIG. PAGE
1 80. 39-lb. Female Salmon Bull-Trout. Second return from the sea, showing spots.
Caught \vith fly by Archibald Coats, Esq., 3rd September 1907 . . 181
iSr. 4o-lb. Tay Salmon. First return from the sea, not having spawned. June
1904 ......... 182
182. 42-lb. Tay Salmon. Second return from the sea, having spawned once . 184
183. Male Sea-Trout or Bull Trout. 8 Ibs. The Till, 1st August 1911. Showing
the eye above the level of the mouth. The same can be seen in the smolt stage 185
184. Female Salmon. 16 Ibs. The Tay, August 191 i. Showing the eye below the
level of the mouth. The same can be seen in the smolt stage . . 185
185. Female Sea-Trout. 5 Ibs. The Tay, August 1911. Showing the eye above
the level of the mouth . . . . . . .186
1 86. Brown Trout. 2 Ibs. August 1911. Showing the eye above the level of the mouth 186
187. g-lb. Durness Trout, Sutherland. June 1908 . 188
188. Scale of Trout. i oz. Loch Leven. ist February 1906 189
189. Scale of Trout. \ Ib. Loch Leven. 22nd August 1906 . . 189
190. Scale of Trout. ^ Ib. Loch Leven. August 1906 . 189
191. Scale of 1 rout. i ?T Ibs. Loch Leven. 25th July 1906 . . . 189
192. Scale of Trout. 2! Ibs. Loch Leven. 251)1 July 1906 . . 190
193. Male and Female Trout spawning. Female turned on her side, digging up the
gravel . . . . . . . . .191
194. Trout Spawning-Bed, showing the gravel heaped up . .192
195. 2-lb. Brown Trout Kelt. Loch Dupplin. March 1906 . . 193
196. i-lb. Loch Slattell Trout, Sutherland. July 1900 . . . .194
197. Loch Slattell Trout, Sutherland; average I Ib. July 1902 . 195
198. 3-lb. Loch Crosophuill Trout, Sutherland. June 1900 . . . 196
199. 4-lb. Loch Crosophuill Trout, Sutherland. June 1903 . . . 197
200. 5-lb. Loch Crosophuill Trout, Sutherland. June 1900. . 198
20 1. 1-11). Loch Gorm Trout, Scourie, Sutherland. July 1904 . . .199
202. 2-lb. Female Tidal Trout, the Estuary of the Tay. June 1902 . 200
203. Gillaroo Trout, Loch Mulach-Corrie, Sutherland . 201
204. Loch More Trout, average 2 Ibs., showing condition greatly improved by
extended feeding area of loch. Caithness, July 1908 . . . 202
205. (i) Brown Trout and (2) Sea-Trout, i£ Ibs. each, from the Tay, showing the
difference. 2oth April 1908 . . . 203
206. Loch Scye, Caithness. July 1902 . . . 204
207. Loch Balligill Trout, Melvich, Sutherland. July 1901 . . 205
208. Loch Hundland Trout, Orkney. fuly 1899 ..... 206
209. f-lb. German Trout, 2^- years old ...... 207
210. ig.V-lb. Loch Killarney Trout. April 1907 . ... 208
211 Scale of Trout. 19^ Ibs. Killarney. April 1907 .... 209
XV 111
Illustrations
FIG. PAGE
212. Scale of Trout. 13 Ibs. Loch Rannoch. 25th June 1906 . 210
213. 8-lb. Loch Ericht Trout. Caught i4th June 1902 . .211
214. lo-lb. Loch Quoich Trout, Inverness-shire. July 1900 . 212
215. y-lb. Loch Shin Trout, Sutherland. June 1900 . . 213
216. ij-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. June 1905 . . .214
217. 14-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. June 1906 . .214
218. ij-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. June 1903 . 215
219. i6-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. May 1903 216
220. i i-lb. Loch Quoich Trout. July 1906 . 217
221. lo-lb. Loch Quoich Trout. July 1900 . 218
222. i6-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. June 1903 . . . 219
223. 15-lb. Loch Quoich Trout. June 1901 . . . . .220
224. 8-lb. Loch Veyatie Trout. June 1906 . . 221
225. 7-lb. River Dean Trout. July 1900 . . . .222
226. 6-lb. Loch Veyatie Trout. July 1906 . 223
227. ig-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout . . 224
228. 5-lb. Loch Crosophuill Trout. June 1902 . .225
229. 3-lb. Male Loch Leven Trout. Loch Leven, June 1903 . . .229
230. 2^-lb. Loch Leven Trout. Caught in Loch Leven June 1905 . . . 230
231. Loch Leven Trout going back, | lb., same length as one 3 Ibs. July 1908 . 232
232. Loch Leven Trout. Largest, 4 years and 4 months, 2 Ibs. Second, 3 years and
4 months, I lb. Third, 2 years and 4 months, ^ lb. Loch Leven, July 1908 233
233. Loch Leven Trout. Male, 2 Ibs.; Female, ji-lbs. Loch Leven, June 1906 . 234
234. Basket of Loch Leven Trout. Loch Leven, June 1906 . . 237
235. 2-lb. Grayling, from the River Isla, Perthshire. October 1908 240
236. Grayling from the Isla . . . . . . .241
237. One Brown Trout, two Char, ^ lb. each. Loch Baden, Sutherland, July 1908 . 243
238. ^-lb. Malloch's Char. Scourie, Sutherlandshire .... 244
239. 2-lb. Salmo fontinalis. The Tay, June 1904 . . 245
240. 1 8-lb. Pike (Esox Indus). River Earn, February 1900 . 248
241. 2-lb. Perch (Perca fluviatilis). River Earn, February 1900 . .251
242. Sea Lice. Life size . ... .252
243. 5-lb. Tench ... .254
244. The Three-spined Stickleback . .256
245. The Minnow ... ... 257
246. The Common Eel (Anguilla fii/garis"), 6 Ibs. Loch Leven, September 1900 . 260
247. Young Eels. July 1909 . . . . . . .261
248. 7-lb. Rainbow Trout, six years old, caught near Perth. September 1906 . 265
249. 2-lb. Rainbow Trout, four years old, caught at Battleby Loch. August 1904 . 267
250. i-lb. Rainbow Trout, two years old. Loch Dupplin. May 1904 . . 267
Illustrations
X 1 X
FIG. r.v;i-.
251. 2-lb. Deformed Brown Trout, caught in the Tay. May 1904 . 268
252. .i-lb. Deformed Trout, caught in Loch Clashfern, Sutherland. July 1904 269
253. i i-lb. Deformed Sea-Trout, caught in the Tay. July 1907 270
254. Deformed Trout, caught in the Tay. May 1904 . 270
255. 1-lb. Deformed Trout, caught at Tomdoun. July 1904 271
256. 5-lb. Deformed Grilse, caught in the Tay. July 1905 . 271
257. Deformed Trout, caught in Clashfern, Sutherland. July 1904 . 272
258. 2-lb. Deformed Trout, caught at Scourie. July 1904 . 273
259. ii-lb. Deformed Grayling, caught in the River Isla. October 1908 . 274
260. 2-lb. Deformed Trout, caught in Loch Dupplin. December 1907 275
261. i-lb. Zebra, cross between American Char and Loch Leven Trout 276
262. j-lb. Yendace. Loch Maben. June 1904 . . 278
263. Gwyniad, caught by H. Anderson, Esq. Ullswater. 1904 280
264. The Powan . . 282
265. Head of Powan, life size 282
266. Daphnice, life size . . 283
267. The Flounder . . . 285
268. The Flounder, underside . . . 286
269. Allis Shad 289
270. Mouth of Shad . 290
271. The Loach ... 291
272. Mouth of a Lamprey, showing the sucker and teeth. Half life size 292
273. 3-lb. Lamprey, 30 inches long, caught in the Tay. July 1909 . 293
274. Sea-Trout marked by Lamprey 293
THE SALMON
(Salmo salar)
THERE are so many mysteries connected with the life-history of the
salmon that it is impossible for any one individual to solve them all ;
but as they have been the object of my closest study for over thirty
years, I trust that what I have to say may help to elucidate some
of these problems.
The ova are deposited in the gravel by the female salmon
during the autumn, the male fish covers them with milt, and the time
required for hatching is Irom
seventy to one hundred and
twenty days, according to the
temperature of the water. On
emerging from the eggs the
young soon begin to show signs
of life, and wriggle energetic-
ally through the gravel to reach
the surface. At this stage
they are called " alevins," and
hardly yet have the appearance
. r . " r , . FIG. i.— Alevins.
01 fish, lor attached to their
bodies, a little behind the gill-opening, is a large bag, the yolk-
or umbilical- sac. containing enough nutriment to sustain them
for several weeks. Before, however, this is entirely absorbed,
they begin to search for natural food and push energetically up-
stream. In a short time, after having assumed the true fish shape,
2 The Salmon
they collect in shoals and are called fry. By autumn they are from
two to three inches long, and are then called parr (Fig. 2). Very
little feeding takes place after the end of September, and when the
cold weather sets in, the parr leave the shallow water to take up their
abode under stones, where they remain till March or April, and almost
entirely cease to feed. During their stay in winter-quarters they
become very black and fall off in condition. Often, when collecting
larvae, I have lifted a flat stone quietly and disclosed to view three or
four parr. These did not swim away at first, but remained motionless
for some time, apparently in a dazed, sleepy condition. When the water
FIG. 2. — Parr, life size, one year old. ist April 1903.
becomes warmer their winter abode is forsaken for the quieter pools.
Strange to say, they are now smaller than they were during the autumn.
As the season advances they become lively, frequent shallow water,
forsake large rivers, and run up the smaller streams as far as the
water will take them. They increase quickly in size, and by autumn
are double the dimensions they were in the previous autumn. The
parr is now a very handsome fish indeed. Along its silvery sides
are nine bars, with black and red spots, and the tail or caudal fin is
much rounder than before. During winter, again, the parr retire
to their old haunts, and leave them in March and begin to feed.
About the first week in April a great change takes place in their
appearance ; the silvery smolt dress is assumed, and the dawn of
The Salmon
a new era begins. They become covered with silvery scales, their
tails lengthen and become forked, and their fins are enlarged. This
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change is quite a rapid one, the fish collecting in shoals during the
process. As the season advances the true smolt stage is reached, and
the migratory period begins. In large rivers the descent is made at
any convenient time, but in small streams they can only descend during
The Salmon
small spates. Full advantage, however, is taken of every little freshet,
and on arrival in ticlal water they disappear into the sea. At the
IS-l
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river-mouth many a feathered foe awaits their coming, Cormorants,
sanders, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-throated Divers, etc.,
The Salmon
causing great destruction. At the mouth of the river Grimersta in
the island of Lewis, I have seen the Red-breasted Mergansers
rt
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ir.
coming and going all day long in a continual stream, feeding on
the smolts as they entered the sea. 1 shot several returning from
The Salmon
their forays and found them to be full of smolts. As the smolts
have so many enemies to
evade, too little attention
paid to their protection.
would
K
IT.
IS
Our young grouse
fare badly if protected in
a similarly scanty manner.
In some rivers, trout-anglers
are prohibited from fishing
during the time of migration,
but during the remainder
of the season the parr are
slaughtered in thousands. I
am certain that in the Tay
district at least one thousand
parr and smolts per day, from
April to September, find their
way into the angler's basket.
This is a gross total of about
157,000 for six months, and
if four per cent found their
way back as salmon, the gain
would amount to 6280. Now
this alone would be a good
yield for many rivers ; but
if we take into consideration
the ever - increasing number
destroyed by birds, the victims
of seals, coal-fish, pollution,
etc., we find that the destruc-
tion and loss are appalling.
Sooner or later those having
the power to rectify this matter will waken up, and at no distant date
our rivers will be teeming with salmon. The wheels of legislation
The Salmon 7
regarding the improvement of our fisheries revolve slowly, however,
for year after year the Blue-books contain articles suggesting im-
ri
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provement, but, like the hardy annual, these are forgotten till they
reappear the next season.
I have wandered away from my subject, and now return to follow
8
The Salmon
the course of the smolts. This has, however, to a certain extent
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proved to be an impossible task, for when the smolts enter the sea all
traces of them are lost for a while, and we know not where they have
The Salmon
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I0 The Salmon
gone. Our next acquaintance with them is on their return to the
rivers as grilse and salmon. Smolts go clown from the end of March
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until the middle of June, and a few stray ones a little later. No
autumn migration takes place. This has been proved on the Tay by
The Salmon n
netting during the autumn and winter. About fourteen months after
the smolts have migrated, a run of small grilse appears. The first
usually arrive during the last week of May or the first week in June,
and in the Tay weigh from i^- to 2^ Ibs., while in some rivers they are
even smaller. Most of the northern rivers are much earlier than the
Tay, and grilse make their appearance as early as the first week in
April. As the season advances the weight of the grilse increases
rapidly. This is due to its food being most plentiful in the summer
months. At the end of June they weigh about 5 Ibs., at the end of
July 8 Ibs., and at the end of August 10 Ibs. — exceptionally large ones
weighing from 10 to 12 Ibs. In cold, backward seasons they are much
smaller, and this applies to all rivers in Great Britain. The grilse
distribute themselves over the whole river, and the run continues until
the end of December. In the first week of November spawning
commences. Many return to the sea soon after spawning, while
others remain until April, and are very greatly reduced in weight,
averaging from 2 to 7 Ibs. Their sojourn in the sea varies from three
and a half to eighteen months. During this interval a rapid increase
in size takes place, and they return again as salmon, double their
former weight. They first return about the middle of June (see
scales of a grilse after its second return from the sea), and increase in
number and weight until the end of December, their age at the latter
date being four years and nine months. Others remain in the sea
during the winter, and do not return until the next summer, having
been away for one and a half years. Thus some spawn in each of two
consecutive years, while others only spawn once in that time. Unless
one has studied scales, it is difficult to distinguish between a kelt grilse
of 4 Ibs. and a kelt of a small spring fish of the same weight. This
can easily be done, however, by counting the number of rings on the
scales, or the number of contractions on the scales.
Hitherto it was thought that the small and the large spring
salmon were from kelts of grilse of the previous year, but this is not
the case. The small spring fish are of the same age as these grilse.
They come up in the following spring, and are from 15 to 40 Ibs. in
12
The Salmon
weight. This is their first return from the sea since migrating
about three years previously as smolts, and they are therefore five
years old. Very few, indeed, have spawned before. There is no
difficulty in distinguishing between fish that have spawned before and
those that have never spawned. The latter almost always have spots
on the body near the gill-covers, and parasites are usually attached to
their gills. I have now reached the end of the grilse stage.
Other smolts going down at the same date — April — as the ones
the grilse come from, instead of returning as grilse begin to run about
the middle of December, when the grilse have almost ceased. These
are clean fish, and will not spawn till November, being thus nearly a
year in fresh water before spawning. The first run of these fish in
the Tay usually weigh about 6 Ibs. each, and the weight continues to
increase with every catch up to the middle of June, when a weight of
from ii to 13 Ibs. is attained. By this time the run is completely
over. From the results of our marking it will be seen that the earliest
of these fish have been in the sea seventeen months from the time
they went down as smolts, in April 1905 ; and the last, which were
caught on the I4th of June, twenty-three and a half months. A very
few may be later. I have paid particular attention to this run of fish
for the last nine years, and I find that they disappear at the same time
almost to a day every year. Many people hold the opinion that these
fish are belated grilse, but I have always differed from them. These
fish are similar to the small fish found in the North Esk, the South
Esk, the Dee, the Findhorn, the Ness, the Beauly, the Brora, the
Helmsdale, the Thurso, and many other rivers. Some years they are
more plentiful than others : this year — 1907 — they were very plentiful.
They run very fast and push far inland, are very strong, and able to
surmount very high falls. Taking freely they afford splendid sport
to the angler, while for the table they cannot be surpassed. In May
and June few of them remain in the lower reaches. I have known
them to run 30 miles in two days. Spawning commences about the
middle of November, and being mostly in the higher reaches and in
the smaller rivers, the fish fall back quickly afterwards. Besides what
The Salmon :3
we have mentioned, there is still another distinct run of fish of the
same marking (April and May 1905), which comes on a month later
(iSth July 1907). From the marking it will be observed that the last
marked fish, when caught on i4th June 1907, was 11 Ibs. The next
fish was caught on iSth July, and weighed i8J Ibs. ; while the largest
marked fish, got on 9th August, weighed 27 Ibs. During the
month of August marked fish were got almost every day up to the
2Oth, when the net-fishing closes. One weighing 15 Ibs. was got on
the 2Oth of September on Stanley Water by Mr. F. Martin when
angling; and another was caught while we were netting for ova. In
October some of these fish reach the weight of 30 Ibs., and, as was
said above, begin running about the middle of July and cease in
December. The earliest of these fish have been in the sea for two
years and two and a half months, and the latest of them for two years
and seven months. Those that survive spawn, become kelts, and go
back to the sea in November and December (1907). Taking the end
of March 1903 as the time of hatching, it will thus be seen that
they are four years and nine months old, although if any one had
asserted a few years ago that fish were from 12 to 30 Ibs. on their
first return from the sea after going down as smolts, and had not
spawned, he would have been held up to ridicule.
There is still another run of the same marking, April and May
1905. This is the great run of winter or spring fish, which, like the
last run, are in the pink of condition and surpass all the other runs of
fish. These fish will not spawn till the next November, some of
them being in the river over a year before spawning. Many of these
large fish find their way into Loch Tay, Loch Ness, the river Ness,
the river Garry, and the Spey. A number are also found in the Dee,
the Tay, the Tummel ; the Wye in England ; the Boyne and the
Blackwater in Ireland, and other spring rivers, where large spring fish
give fine sport at the opening of the season. The two earliest rivers
in Scotland are the Tay and the Ness. In some seasons the average
weight of the spring fish caught in Loch Tay has been 22 Ibs., and in
other seasons over this weight.
i4 The Salmon
In this, which I consider almost the last run, the numbers are
greater than in any of the others. Many erroneous theories have
been put forward with regard to these fish. Many maintain that they
return to the sea, and again return to the rivers to spawn, while others
think they do not spawn. I have had many opportunities of proving
both of these theories to be false. These fish, being in perfect condi-
tion, must start in the winter in order to reach their destination by
spawning time, as they travel more slowly in the cold weather of winter
and spring, and consequently take weeks to get to Loch Tay. Many
of them, when delayed by frost and snow, or snow and high water,
take months to accomplish the journey. By the end of April the
run may be said to be over, and few enter Loch Tay after this date.
With the first flood, about the 1510 of May, they leave Loch Tay
and ascend the river Dochart. Sometimes they may be delayed a
month or more for want of water, but when a spate does come
they are ready to ascend, and find their way through the river
Dochart into Loch Dochart. Throughout the summer and autumn,
and as spawning-time approaches, they make their way into the
smaller streams which enter Loch Dochart, and there deposit their
spawn about the I5th November, and soon after return as kelts.
Their age in April is five years. This is their first return from
the sea, the earliest of them having been in the salt water two years
and six months, and the latest three years. This completes the four
runs of the same marking.
From now onwards the number greatly decreases, and only a
few stragglers from 27 to 40 Ibs. come on till the end of the year.
These are from five to six years old. After this there are a few from
40 to 60 Ibs. The next year there are none, making the extreme
age seven or eight years.
Few of them, however, reach this age, and all these salmon are
on their first return from the sea. I know this statement will be
challenged by many. We have as yet got no winter-marked fish,
because it is not yet time for them to come. They will, no doubt, be
got when the fishing opens in 1908. I have come to this conclusion
The Salmon 15
beforehand from a study of the scales of fish, which I will endeavour
to explain in a later section dealing with scales.
What has been said of the marked fish may be put in a con-
densed form as follows. The fry which were hatched in March 1903
became smolts in April 1905, and migrated to the sea in April and
May 1905 at the age of two years. The first run of these returned
to the river as grilse weighing from i^ to 12 or 13 Ibs., from the last
FIG. II. — Stormonttield Ponds on the Tay, erected 1852.
week in May till the end of December 1906. The second run
continued to come from the middle of December 1906 to the middle
of June 1907, and weighed from 6 to 13 Ibs. The third run returned
from the middle of July 1907 to the end of December, and weighed
from 12 to 30 Ibs. The fourth run extended from the middle of
October 1907 to the end of May 1908, and weighed from 13 to 38 and
occasionally 40 Ibs. The average weight was about 20 Ibs., but it
varies a pound or two from year to year. The fifth run came on in
i6
The Salmon
May 1908 and lasted till December, and their weight was from 20 to
45 Ibs. The sixth run, which begins in December 1908, will continue
till December 1909. These will be few in number, and will weigh
from 30 to 70 Ibs. This is the first return of all these runs of fish
from the sea, and none of them have yet spawned.
From the books on the natural history of the salmon and the
experiments at the Stormontfield Ponds, I, like most other people,
was led to believe that grilse returned from the sea the same season
FIG. 12.- — Smolt, showing how ring is fastened in dorsal fin. When 25 Ibs. this ring is
completely filled up.
as they went down as smolts. Mr. Brown, as mentioned in his book
of the History of Stormontfield Ponds, marked many smolts for several
years by cutting off the adipose fin. Many smolts were afterwards
captured without the adipose fin, and these Mr. Brown put down as
his marking. From a study of scales, however, I concluded that
Mr. Brown and others were wrong in believing that smolts returned
so soon, for I could find no scales of grilse that had not been more
than a year in the sea ; and not being satisfied with the various
methods of marking fish, I determined to mark them in such a way
that they would be known all through life. The cutting off of the
The Salmon 17
adipose fin I did not consider sufficient, because on several occasions
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I have seen fish caught without this fin. Others again pierced the
gills, but the aperture thus made soon filled up again. The same
The Salmon
thing happened when a part was cut from the centre of the tail.
After a good deal of experimenting I came to the conclusion that the
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best way to mark them was by inserting a wire through the thick part
in front of the dorsal fin. I obtained fine silver wire and cut it into
The Salmon
suitable lengths. Being so fine it was easily pushed through ; the
two ends were then brought together and twisted round with the
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finger and thumb, leaving a loop sufficiently large to enable the fish to
grow to 25 Ibs. before it would fill it up. Figs. 12 and 13 show
2O
The Salmon
marked smolts. One man holds the smolt and another inserts the
rt
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5
wire, the whole operation occupying only a few seconds. Having
obtained leave from the Tay District Board and our Tay Fisheries
The Salmon
21
Company to net the river, we started work on the ist May and
netted the tidal water two miles below Perth, and marked all the
u~t
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o
smolts we;'found till middle of June. These were caught with a small-
meshed net and put in a box with holes in the bottom. When a
22 The Salmon
smolt was wanted, the box was raised and the water ran through the
holes. One man caught the smolts and handed them to the one who
held them in position whilst they were being marked. They were
instantly dropped into the river again, and swam away at once.
The greatest care was taken to mark nothing but smolts of Salmo
sa/ar, all parr and yellow fins being rejected; so that so far as we could
judge nothing but smolts were marked. I intended all the smolts to
be marked in the same place — in the gristly part in front of the dorsal
fin ; but after a time the markers began to take in two rays of the
FIG. 19. — Marked Grilse, 3^ Ibs., 3rd July 1906. Smolt marked May 1905.
fin without my observing it. On discovering this, I decided to do
the marking again another year, as I was afraid the aperture would
grow upwards with the fin and the wire would fall out, thus making
our work go for nothing. We watched carefully during the whole
of the summer, but no marked fish were found. On the ist of June of
the following year we got the first wire in a grilse which weighed
2 Ibs. 15 oz. The mark and the fish are shown in Fig. 14.
The mark was slightly spoiled with the net. This grilse with
the mark on it (Fig. 14) we handed over to the Perthshire
Society of Natural Science. The capture of this grilse was the
means of making our manager, Mr. David Robb, our Secretary,
Mr. Harry Robb, Mr. W. M'Nicol, and Mr. John Robertson
The Salmon 23
take the greatest interest in the marking, and now all fish that
come into our fish-house are examined for wires. This, of course,
8,
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entails a great deal of work, for on certain occasions from one to
two thousand fish have to be examined in one day. Not only
The Salmon
M
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has a careful record of the dates of capture and of the weights been
kept, but all the different classes of fish have been carefully noted
down. \Yhen there was
any doubt about a fish
the scales were examined.
Few could have the oppor-
tunity of capturing or
marking the fish so well,
as we control the whole of
the river Tay, from Stanley
to the mouth, and also
part of the coast. Prac-
tically all salmon caught
on the Tay therefore pass
through our hands. It
Was during the net-fishing
season, which opens on
the 5th of February and
closes on the 2Oth of
August, that we had the
best opportunity of catch-
ing them. Only two have
been caught with the rod.
The wires have thus served
their purpose quite well,
and, as was expected, have
grown up with the fin (Fig.
1 6) in many cases, and have
remained in it. Those
which were put in farther
forward have remained
farther down. The fol-
lowing are the dates of capture and the weights of marked fish
caught in 1906 :
c
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rt
§
The Salmon
GRILSE
Date of
Capture.
June
July
55
5)
I
26
28
3
4
10
16
16
17
24
26
28
Weight Date of
in Ibs.
Capture.
2TTT
July 28
4
Aug. 4
4|
4
31
4
52
4
4i
7
5!
„ 3
7
9
61
„ 10
6f
55 I I
4|
„ 13
5i
„ M
7
„ '4
Weight
in Ibs.
Date of
Capture.
7& Aug. 15
5 „ 15
5f 5, 1 6
7|
„ 16
8
„ 16
6f
„ 16
4
„ 16
6*
5*
»i
,5 17
55 ' /
„ 18
61 1 8
Weight
in Ibs.
8
10
20
20
9
7
6
The total weight of the forty fish was 266^f Ibs. 1 think these
results clearly prove that smolts going down in April and May do not
return as grilse until the following year. It has been said that if they
do return sooner they must be very small ; but I do not believe
they return the same year. Even if one were caught, say i Ib. in
weight, it would be impossible to tell, even by the scales, whether it
had been to the sea or not. We have on many occasions seen and
have caught scores of smolts which have been confined in a loch
three, six, and twelve months up to three years after they had turned
smolts. These weighed from 6 oz. to 2 Ibs. and any of them
escaping might easily have been mistaken for young grilse. I will
treat more fully of these and give illustrations of them in another
section. Our marked smolts, so far as my judgment goes, were all
at least two years old in March 1905. In this connection readers
might bear in mind that all our captures are from the same marking
of 1905.
The difference in weight will be seen from these grilse : the first,
caught on ist June, was 2 Ibs. 15 oz., and the largest, caught on iSth
August, was 10 Ibs. 8 oz. This great difference in weight seems to
indicate that the fish both feed and increase in weight much more
4
26 The Salmon
during the summer months than they do in the winter months. The
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marking of kelts and noting their return prove the same thing, as
can also be seen from the scales.
The Salmon
For an opportunity of getting more wired fish we had to wait
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until the nets opened on the 5th February the next year- -1907.
On the 1 8th of February we got our first wired fish, weighing
28
The Salmon
^ Ibs. (Fig. 23), and the following day we got another, weighing 8 Ibs.
From then on to I4th June we got the following wired fish, which
,a
00
were marked as smolts in May 1905, and returned as small spring
fish in 1907 :—
The Salmon
Date of
Weight
Date of
Weight Date of
Weight
Capture.
in Ibs.
Capture.
in Ibs. Capture.
in Ibs.
Feb. 1 8 .
• 9i
April 2
. 9% May 8 .
• 7f
19 •
. 8
„ 6 .
, 8J 9 -
. io£
21 .
• 9
9
. 9i „ 10 .
. 81
22 .
• 7i
„ n
.iol „ 14 .
. nf
March 6 .
• 7i
» 23
. 10
21
• l r¥
8 .
• 7
„ 26
. 10
23 .
. iol
12 .
• 7
» 29
. IO-J
30 •
• 9i
» 15 •
. iol
» 3°
' 13
June 4
• 9|
16 .
• 9i
May 6
.12! „ II .
• l T4
„ 29 .
• 13
7
• 9f „ 14 .
. I I
These thirty fish weighed in all 292^ Ibs. The above are the dates
of the first return of these fish from the sea ; and they solved a great
mystery, for it was not known what they came from or whether they
had yet spawned. I have taken several photographs of these wired
fish, which will be reproduced as illustrations.
A little over a month elapsed before we found another wired fish
(Fig. 26). The dates and weights are as follows :-
Date of
Weight
Date of
Weight
Date of
Weight
Capture.
in Ibs.
Capture.
in Ibs.
Capture.
in Ibs.
July 1 8
. i8i
Aug. 8
. 14
Aug. 3
• !7i
„ 20
• U
» 9
. 27
M 5
• M
„ 20
. 16
,,I5
. 21
5
. 16!
,, 22
• '9*
» '5
. 15*
„ 6
I4|
„ 24
. I 2
» r5
'4f
7
• !7i
„ 27
. I?i
„ 16
• 19
„ 8 .
• I6i
„ 31
. i8i
» 19
. i7i
„ 8 .
I 2
Aug. 3
• isi
„ 20 I
4
„ 8 .
• !5i
» 3
• 'SI
The net-fishing closed on 2Oth August. Another fish was caught by
the rod on 2Oth September, weighing 15 Ibs., and one 16 Ibs. was
caught while we were fishing for ova. These twenty-seven fish
weighed 449 Ibs.
This third run of fish solved even a greater mystery than the
small spring fish, for no one believed that these two runs of fish were
of the same age, or that there was one run distinct from another ;
neither was it thought that it .was their first return from the sea. These
The Salmon
fish are now--ist August — four years and four months old, and have been
in the sea two years and two months since they went down as smolts.
tx
c
We had no opportunity of getting more marked fish until February
1908. On 7th February we caught with the net a spring fish weighing
15 Ibs. It was newly from the sea on its first return (Fig. 29). On
The Salmon
nth February a wired fish was got with the rod on Faskally Water,
weighing 15 Ibs.; on I3th February one was caught weighing 38^ Ibs.;
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and on I5th February another was got, weighing 13 Ibs. (Fig. 31).
Still another was got on 3ist March and weighed 35 Ibs. (Fig. 32).
32 The Salmon
The history of these fish, which will be five years old in March, is
now quite clear. Out of over a thousand fish which I examined
during the last two weeks of February, all, with the exception of
about ten per cent, which had spawned, were of the same age, viz.
five years, and their average weight was about 20 Ibs. The one
caught on i3th February 1908, weighing 38^ Ibs., belongs to the same
run and is of the same age, so that up to I5th February 1908 we have
these spring fish on their first return from the sea, weighing from 13
FIG. 27. — Mark of i8|-lb. Salmon shown, caught iSth July 1907. Marked as Smolt May 1905.
to 38^7 Ibs. The last-mentioned weight is no doubt exceptional. The
wired fish, 35 Ibs. in weight, caught at Almond Mouth station on
3ist March 1908, is the largest marked fish we have got. It
had been in the sea within a month of three years, and had not
spawned. (See illustration of the fish and of its scale, Figs. 32, 80.)
It was therefore of the same age as the others already mentioned,
viz. five years.
Although the marking of these smolts and the capture of so many
of them has added much to our knowledge, and cleared up many
matters of which little was known, something yet requires to be done
in marking fish from the different runs in order to be able to tell
The Salmon
33
whether the new generation do as their parents did. Until this is
done we will not know whether the grilse is from the spring or the
tJO
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autumn run, or whether the small spring run is from the large spring
fish or the autumn run. This spring, when the smolts from ova taken
5
34
The Salmon
from autumn fish were liberated from the Stormontfield Ponds, I
rt
s
C/l
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ri
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intended marking them, but something happened which reduced the
numbers so much that there were not sufficient to mark.
I am fully convinced that many of our fish from 40 Ibs. and up-
The Salmon
35
wards are on their first return from the sea when they are captured
in fresh water. I have examined closely for the last eight years
all fish brought into our fish-house, and on many occasions I have
counted the number of those that have spawned and the number that
have not. In the middle of July I found nineteen out of every
hundred had spawned, and that all the others were on their first return
from the sea. The prime-conditioned fish are those on their first
return, and those that have spawned are coarse, and when cut up the
flesh is white, hence the reason for their being thought and called
FlG. 30. — Showing mark of 15-lb. Spring Salmon. First caught, 7th February 1908.
Marked as Smolt May 1905.
bull-trout. I am afraid I am here giving information which will be
valuable to the fishmonger but disadvantageous to the tacksman. It
may also be useful to the reader in enabling him to select a prime-
conditioned fish for the table. The poor tacksman usually receives a
much lower price for what are erroneously called bull-trout. We have
now proved beyond doubt that these fish are not a different species, but
are true salmon that have spawned. How this should alter their
shape and colour is difficult to understand. It may be that the greedy
kelt, when its digestive organs come again into action, eats more
ravenously, rendering it coarser and stronger than before. The wildest
fish that the angler has to do with are, of course, those that have
spawned and have returned again as clean fish. This throws some
The Salmon
light on a matter that has troubled many, most believing that if all the
kelts were killed there would be no large salmon. By our marking
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however, we have proved that we can have large salmon although all
the kelts are killed. This does not mean that we should kill the kelts
The Salmon 37
for all that ; for when we consider that there are nineteen of these in
^
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every hundred clean fish which return from the sea, the kelt is well
worth protecting. The proportion is not so great in spring, but I
The Salmon
have no doubt it will be greater after the nets go off. Many people
talk of a double migration of fish, which I have never been able to
o
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fa
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C/5
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fa
understand. Some say the small spring fish are belated grilse ; while
others declare they are from an autumn migration of smolts. To put
The Salmon
39
these theories to the test, we had the Tay netted at different times
during the autumn and found none, so that so far as the Tay is con-
IV.
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cerned there is no autumn migration. No doubt in a dry season many
smolts in small burns and lochs are deprived for want of water of a
The Salmon
passage to the sea. Two years ago the Thurso was so dry all summer
rt
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that the smolts did not reach the sea until September, when they
were 6 or 7 oz. in weight ; but this could not be called an autumn
The Salmon 4I
migration. I think it would be absurd to call the tish a belated grilse
we caught on 9th August (Fig. 28), weighing 27 Ibs., on its first
return from the sea, or a 6o-lb. fish arriving from the sea for the first
time at the ripe age of seven years.
The marking of the smolts and their recapture afterwards has
enabled us to know for certain whether the small spring fish will be
plentiful or scarce, and what the other runs that follow will be, long
FIG. 37. — Showing mark of first small Spring fish, 9^ Ibs., caught iSth February 1907.
Marked as Smolt May 1905.
before the fish enter the river, and it also enables us to tell whether
the fish will be large or small.
I will now return to the grilse from 4 to 13 Ibs. that run from the
middle of May to the middle or end of December. These spawn the
same season as they come up and become kelts (Fig. 38). Many of
them, both male and female, die after spawning, the mortality amongst
males predominating. A few of those that return to the sea re-enter
the rivers as clean fish, after being three or four months in the sea.
On their return about June they are double the weight they were
when they went down, and as the season advances the number and
weight increase. We know this from marking the kelt grilse.
Until a year ago we called all these fish that returned bull-trout, not
6
The Salmon
knowing the change that had taken place was caused by their
having spawned. They are now spotted, and have maggots in their
gills. These kelt grilse keep on re-
turning until December, and spawn
the same season (Fig. 39).
I will now treat of what becomes
of the small spring fish kelts (Fig.
40) — those from December to the
middle of June. A smaller number
of this second run die after spawning
than of the kelt grilse. These kelts
return during the autumn, winter,
and spring, and most of them dis-
appear by the end of April. Like
the grilse kelt, they begin to return
again about the middle of June ; and
many of them are of the same size
as the grilse kelts -- about 5 or
6 Ibs. They increase in weight as
the season advances, and by Sep-
tember some are caught up to
12 and- 14 Ibs., according to the
weight of the kelt that went down.
Strange to relate, almost all the kelts
that have been marked on the Tay
and recaptured have been females.
Particulars of some of these kelts
that were marked and afterwards
caught in our nets are given
below : —
o
>-l
rt
O
o
£
Date of
Marking.
April I I, 1906
Feb. 10, 1903
Weight
in Ibs.
Date of
Recapture.
Aug. 9, 1906
Aug. 20, 1903
Weight
in Ibs.
Ill
>4f
The Salmon 43
Many others were recorded as being recaptured the same season. See
s o
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P " o ^
= ?o 2 S
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— ' o S
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Blue-books for 1903-6. It will be observed that these fish were all
caught the same season as they went down. It will be seen from the
44
The Salmon
following, however, that others remain a much longer time in the sea
before they return. We find fish of the same marking returning the
(J
tfl
next year. For example, a kelt of 6 Ibs. marked on 26th January 1902
was caught as a clean fish of 18 Ibs. on iSth March 1903. I selected this
The Salmon
45
fish as an example because it is impossible that it could have spawned.
Others stayed a longer period before returning. A kelt of 8 Ibs.,
which was marked on i/th January
1902, was 20 Ibs. 3 oz. when caught
as a clean fish on iSth August
1903; while another of 3 Ibs. on
3ist January 1906 was 11 Ibs. on
2;th April 1907. Kelts marked on
other rivers give much the same
result, showing clearly that they re-
main longer than a year in the sea,
thus continuing the same habits as
they had after going down as
smolts. Their growth is remark-
able, for although marked as kelts
in January, they may not have
entered the sea till April. The
6-lb. one has increased to 18 Ibs. ;
and another of 6 Ibs. caught on
2Oth August of the same year,
which has become i4f- Ibs., may not
have been in the sea more than
four months. This increase is not
so remarkable, however, as that of
the small smolt going down, weigh-
ing i to 2 oz., in April or May
1905, and returning on gth August
1907, 27 Ibs. in weight! This I
consider the greatest increase that
is known of any marked fish of the
salmon kind. Those running after
July are larger — from 12 to 20 Ibs.
—and all spawn and become kelts. Many of them die after spawning.
The following are particulars of some of these marked kelts (Fig. 41): —
t/J
CA:
46 The Salmon
Date of Weight
Marking. in Ibs.
Feb. 14, 1906 . .12
Jan. 1 6, 1906 . .11
Jan. 19, 1906 . .12^
March 8. 1905 . . 13
Date of Weight
Recapture. in Ibs.
Aug. 4, 1906 . . 2o|
July 25, 1906 . 24^
May 18, 1907 . . 23^
July 21, 1906 . 27
There is not the slightest doubt that the short and the long period in
the sea are common to all the different runs. I need not, however,
pursue this matter further, as it would be confusing, for the next run
of fish would be pretty much the same. I will endeavour, when
describing the scales, to give more information as to the time these
fish remain in the sea after having been in the river as clean fish. The
marking of so many fish in different rivers and their capture afterwards
prove that almost all fish return to their own native river. A few have
certainly been got a considerable distance from their own river, but it is
probable that even these would have found their way back to their own
river had they escaped capture. This, then, is a good guarantee to those
who have charge of any river, that whatever improvement they make
is for the benefit of their own river and not for those of other people.
Since writing the above we have seen the close of the netting
season of 1907 ; and from the marking of the smolts and its results
most valuable information has been obtained respecting the supply
of salmon in after years. The year 1905 was a good year for smolts ;
1906 was therefore a good year for grilse; 1907 was a good year for
small spring fish; from this I expected that 1908 would be a good
year for large spring fish, and such has been the case. On the other
hand, 1907 was a bad year for grilse, and I accordingly suspected
that 1908 would be a bad year for small spring fish; and this year
1908 being a good grilse season, will also be a good year for small
spring fish in 1909, and a good year for large spring fish in 1910. This
will apply both to England and Scotland, and so well do we know this
now that I can almost tell what proportion of fish will follow in the
different runs from the number of grilse captured.
On 5th July 1909 we caught in our nets on the Tay a female fish
of 26^ Ibs. (Fig. 42), one of those marked as a smolt in May 1905.
The Salmon
47
From the general appearance and by a study of the scales it is evident
that this fish had spawned. After going down in May 1905 it had re-
O
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rt
u
O
ON
rt
rj
O
"rt
mained in the sea for a period of 2f years, had come up, spawned, and re-
turned to the sea as a kelt in March, and re-entered the river on 5th July
48
The Salmon
1909, when it was caught. It will thus be 6^ years old. The photo-
graph shows the spots near to the gill-cover, which is a certain sign
!
G years, 3 months
\
Si;
ra
FIG. 43. — Scale of 26i-lb. Salmon (Fig. 42). Marked as a Smolt May 1905. Caught 5th July 1509.
of the fish having spawned. This is the most important marked fish
we have got, more than a year having elapsed since the last of the
same marking was captured. It was got in March of the previous
The Salmon 49
year and weighed 35 Ibs., although it was more than a year younger
than the one just caught, the difference in weight being due to the
fact that the younger one had not spawned. The weight of the
present one was reduced while spawning, and had to be made up again.
We show a print of the scales of this fish (Fig. 43), which is
very interesting. Before going down to the sea as a smolt it would
have the usual number of rings on the scale, viz. 32. While in the sea
it put on 43 rings, but during the four months it was up the river no
further increase took place. From its second return to the sea in
March until its capture, other 20 rings were added. If 5 be added for
the time the fish was in fresh water we get 100; now divide this by
1 6 and it gives 6 and 4 over, which, according to my i6-rings-a-year
principle, gives 6^ years, which, as we already know, is the exact age
of the fish. The age can also be ascertained by noting the winter and
summer marks on the scales, but as marks are made during summer
and resemble winter marks, it is not reliable and constantly leads to
mistakes. The counting of the rings, therefore, is by far the most
reliable way of telling the age of a fish and the time of its coming
from and going to the sea. I have on many occasions proved this by
marking fish at various times.
On 8th July 1909 we got another wired fish of the same marking,
a female of 28^ Ibs. It had returned to the river and gone to the sea
at the same time as the last one, but had come up the river again
three days later. On examining the scales I find the numbers at the
various stages to be 32, 43, 20; and adding 5 for the time it spent in
fresh water we have again the total of 100. Another marked fish,
weighing 36 Ibs., captured on 2nd August, had the same number of
rings. Besides these three fish we have, during the last few days,
been capturing others similar that have not been marked.
HABITS OF THE SALMON
Salmon run at all seasons of the year. In large rivers like the
Tay the clean winter or spring fish begin to run early in October.
They do not spawn until the following year, thus being thirteen
The Salmon
months in fresh water before spawning. They push on to Loch Tay
during the winter and spring months, and by the end of March the
run is nearly over. The average weight of these spring fish is about
20 Ibs., though in some seasons they are heavier than in others. A
number of them remain in the Tay and its tributaries, the Tummel,
the Lyon, and the Earn, until about the middle of May, and give
good sport to the angler. After this time they nearly all proceed to
the higher reaches. Those already in Loch Tay remain in it until
about the middle of May, but when the snow begins to disappear from
the hills they leave the loch and proceed up the river Dochart. By
this time many of the fish are of a copper colour. Most of them will
have left Loch Tay by the end of May, and if there has been sufficient
water to take them up after entering the Dochart they gradually
advance higher and higher, until Loch Dochart is reached. There
they remain until spawning-time, after which they leave the loch and
run up the tributaries. The spawning-time begins about the i5th of
November, and is usually at its height about the 2Oth of November.
After spawning they become kelts ; and the survivors fall back into
Loch Dochart, and gradually go down the Dochart into Loch Tay, and
thence down the river Tay to the sea, a distance of 120 miles. Being
so long in fresh water without food, these fish are reduced to quite
half the weight they were when they first came up.
During the winter months, if the weather is cold, these fish travel
very slowly, going at the rate of 2 to 3 miles per day ; but as the season
advances and the weather becomes warmer their speed increases, and
by June they will travel 20 miles per day. Towards the middle of July
again they begin to move more slowly. Many people wonder why
they run in winter and spring, thinking it cannot be to spawn, as there
is little appearance of spawn in them. There is little doubt, however,
that it is to spawn, and if they did not run in winter and spring they
would not be able to reach the head-waters in time, as frost and high and
low water would keep them back. As it is, it takes them almost their
whole time to reach their destination. Having so much energy they are
able to ascend falls and surmount obstacles that autumn fish could not
The Salmon 5i
do even although possessed of the necessary energy, for the spawning
season would be on them long before they had arrived at the upper
reaches, and if the river Dochart had to depend on autumn fish alone
none would ever be got in it. I have always held the opinion that a
certain proportion of each run of fish should be allowed to pass, so that
all the different parts of the river would be equally well stocked. Until
recently there was a large portion of the Tay and a part of the Lyon and
the Tummel with very few spawning fish on the beds during winter.
It is a peculiar fact that as long as the temperature of the water
is low and snow is in the river, fish have a great disinclination to
surmount broken waterfalls or weirs. Few of these fish are seen
trying to ascend them before the middle of April. In the river
Helmsdale few fish are seen above the falls before April. The only
exception to this that I have seen is on the North Esk. On the
Morphie weir in February, before the nets go on, sometimes a dozen
clean fish can be seen trying to ascend at one time, generally about
mid-day, but unsuccessfully, as each one falls back again into the pool
below. It is little wonder, however, that these fish try to get up,
as there are thousands of them huddled together in one pool. They
collect here during the whole of the winter, and are all scooped out
when the nets are put on. It is difficult to imagine how this is
allowed to go on year after year. There is surely something wrong
when 2 miles of this river below the weir are rented at about ^5000,
and 30 miles above the weir scarcely bring ^500 !
The amount of running fish do depends much on wind and
weather. In cold, frosty weather or when the river is full of snow they
run very little. Ideal conditions are when the river is free from snow
and a good fresh wind is blowing. I have known a strong west wind
take all the fish from the east end of Loch Tay. Strange as it may
appear, spring fish are unable to withstand a high flood, and are some-
times carried a few miles down stream. Occasionally big hauls of
them are got with the nets in quiet places to which they have been
borne down. This accounts for the fact that the rod-fishing is poor after
big floods in spring. Kelts seem to be able to withstand floods better
52 The Salmon
than clean fish, for no matter how many floods there are the kelts
remain in the river until they choose to leave, the greater part of them
descending during April, while from i5th April till i5th July fish
eagerly push forward, few remaining in tidal water. From 1 5th July fish
begin to rest from 6 to 10 miles above tidal water, each succeeding
week running more slowly and increasing in numbers in the pools, and
as the season advances they begin to rest in the tidal water itself. About
the end of September, although they are newly from the salt water
and have sea-lice on them, they begin to turn a little red in colour,
the spawn increases in size, and they hurry forward with every little
freshet. By the end of October they begin to look out for spawning
ground, leave the rocky pools, and run up the smaller streams and
burns. Although a few begin to spawn in the beginning of November,
it is not until the middle of that month that spawning becomes general.
During spawning time the female becomes very unshapely and black,
and the male red, orange, and black. Their noses become extended,
sometimes to the extent of three or four inches ; the lower jaw also
lengthens and a large hook is formed at the end of it as thick as a man's
finger. This fits into the upper jaw, and sometimes almost penetrates
it. This extension of the upper and the lower jaw prevents the mouth
from closing, and a large opening is shown at each side of the mouth.
It has not yet been ascertained what purpose this knob and extension
of the upper jaw serves. Some say it is intended for fighting during
the spawning season ; but it must be a poor weapon of offence, as it
would prevent the fish's teeth from coming in contact with its foe.
Others say the enlargement of the head is for digging up the gravel ;
but this is not the case, as the male fish does not dig up the gravel.
After spawning time this knob gradually decreases in size, and the
extended part has again regained its normal size by the time the fish
has returned to salt water.
There are many different and erroneous opinions as to how fish
spawn. Having been brought up on the banks of a river where thousands
of fish spawned every year, I had ample opportunity of observing and
studying them almost every day each winter for over twenty years.
The Salmon
53
About the middle of November they leave the pools and come on to
the streams. Here they select a bank composed of sand and gravel
3-
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4=
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B
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which is not very liable to shift throughout the season. Here the
female digs into the gravel with her tail (Fig. 44), turns on her side,
54
The Salmon
and gives a few scoops among the gravel, turning it up with each move-
ment and making the water quite dirty. The spawn, which is being
>---r-i &^&p££&&ri£st
Photo by If. Anderson.
FIG. 45. — Salmon Spawning-Bed on the Tay.
FIG. 46. — Salmon Spawning-Bed (enlarged).
deposited all the time, falls to the bottom and is covered up with each
stroke. This process is renewed every five or ten minutes, the fish work-
The Salmon
55
ing upstream all the time. If the gravel is easy to work, the spawning-
bed thus scooped out is often a foot deep ; and by the time spawning
is completed the fish will have turned up the gravel to the extent of
2 to 3 yards upstream, and about 2 feet across stream (Fig. 45). The
spawning-beds can always be detected by observing the light colour
of the gravel which has been newly exposed, contrasted against the
FIG. 47. — Showing Salmon-Beds diverting the water where the gravel is raised,
River Duart More, Sutherland.
darker-coloured part on each side (Fig. 46). The whole process of
depositing the spawn in the gravel to the depth of 10 or 1 2 inches occupies
from three to fourteen days, according to the state of the weather and
the water. So eager are fish to spawn in their own river that I have
observed them begin five minutes after entering. If, on the other
hand, they are prevented from spawning by being delayed in pools
during low water, they retain their spawn for weeks longer than they
would have done had the water been suitable for their reaching the
The Salmon
spawning ground. Very often one fish begins to spawn where another
left off, and one follows another in this way until the spawning-bed is
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20 or 30 yards long. While the female is working, the male, if un-
disturbed, remains beside her, and occasionally pushes her sideways
The Salmon
57
off the bed for a second or two (Fig. 48). If another male come near,
t
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to
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O
however, he rushes after him with his mouth wide open. Although this
is repeated each time an intruder comes near, they seldom take hold
8
The Salmon
of each other. On carefully examining a bed after a fish has spawned,
or when it is spawning, one may see a considerable quantity of spawn at
the lower end of the bed, uncovered with gravel. This may be either
washed away by the first flood, or eaten up by trout or sea-trout.
Conditions of weather and water have a great effect on salmon as
regards spawning. A night's frost is the best thing to hasten spawn-
FlG. 50. — Showing Salmon Spawning-Beds on River Almond. November 1905.
ing ; while if a freshet come on, even although a fish has begun to
spawn, it will leave its bed and go higher up and begin a new one.
Fish may be seen spawning at any time of the day or night, but they
are most active from sundown till midnight, when they usually leave
off and fall back into the pools. Sometimes, if the river is very low,
they move up to the spawning-beds as soon as darkness sets in. At
such a time their backs may be discerned above water, and you may
hear the flop, flop of the female every time she turns on her side
The Salmon 59
(Fig. 49). Grilse often spawn with salmon, sea-trout with grilse, and
trout with sea-trout, in a season favourable for fish running up.
Most of the spawning is over by the end of December, although
after a severe winter I have seen salmon spawning in March. If a
fish exceeds the time for spawning it becomes bright in colour in the
same way as the kelts do, and is then called a " rawner " (Fig. 51).
Rawners are sometimes got in the middle of summer, but I have
never been able to see one of these fish attempt to spawn. As the
bright colour comes on, too, they improve in condition. One can always
tell whether they are rawners by holding them up by the tail, for then
the spawn will run towards the head. After the male and the female
have completed the process of spawning they fall back into the pools,
and many of them, more especially the males, become sick and die.
The mortality during the first month after spawning is greater than in
any other month of the year. During a heavy flood many of them are
carried down, lose control of themselves, and soon die, and can be
seen in thousands cast up along the banks of most of our rivers. The
survivors, if they do not at once return to the sea, remain in the pools
from three to four months, assume a silvery dress, and become as strong
as clean fish before they return to the sea. In small rivers and the
head-waters of large ones fish often return to the sea as soon as they
have completed spawning. Most of the fish, however, go down in
March and April. A little freshet takes them down in large numbers,
and in some seasons, when the river is so low that they are pre-
vented from getting down, they remain in the river all summer.
When kelts are in poor condition they are easily known from
clean fish, but as the season advances and they improve in shape and
colour it is more difficult to tell them. They nearly always have a
few maggots in their gills, their fins and tails are usually ragged and
larger than those of a clean fish, and the vent always protrudes.
Kelts out of condition are not fit for food, but what the fishermen
call " well-mended kelts " before they return to the sea are much
better for eating than a dark-coloured fish caught in October. In
describing the scales I will show how one may tell at a glance whether
6o
The Salmon
a fish is a kelt or a clean fish. Anglers are often in doubt as to
whether fish they have caught are clean or not, and this is not to be
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wondered at, as those who are constantly among them sometimes make
mistakes when judging from the outward appearance only.
The Salmon
61
The size of fish in the different rivers varies very much, and
so does the time in which they run into them. In the Tay the
spring fish average over 20 Ibs., while in the Aberdeenshire Dee
they are under half this weight. In the Dee, again, the fish which
run in autumn are much larger. Some rivers have no spring run,
and some of the tributaries of early rivers have no run of fish till
the autumn. This being so, anglers should be careful when renting
a river to know when the run takes place. Many are disappointed
when they rent a river in autumn to find there are only spring fish in
it, which do not take well and are not worth catching. In the
Aberdeenshire Dee the average weight is about 7 Ibs. They are
young-looking and have the appearance of maiden fish with their
forked tail and long, small heads.
TABLE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF RlNGS PUT ON THE SCALES OF
PARR, SMOLT, GRILSE, AND SALMON
1907
No. of
Date.
Rings.
Da
April
i, 1903
0
July
5»
55
i, 1904
. 16
,,
28
)1
i, 1905
. 32
Aug.
20
55
i, 1906
48
Sept.
12
,,
24
49
Oct.
5
May
17
• 5°
,,
28
June
9
• 51
Nov.
20
July
2
• 52
Dec.
13
55
25
• 53
Jan.
5,
Aug.
17
• 54
,,
28
Sept.
9
• 55
Feb.
20
Oct.
O
. 56
Mar.
'5
„
25
• 57
April
T
Nov.
17
. 58
,,
3°
Dec.
10
• 59
May
23
Jan.
2, 1907
60
June
15
51
2 c
. 61
July
8
Feb.
17
. 62
,,
31
Mar.
I 2
. 63
Aug.
23
April
4
. 64
Sept.
18
,,
2 7
. 65
Oct.
8
May
20
. 66
,,
3i
June
I 2
. 67
Nov.
23
1908
No. of
Rings.
Date.
No. of
Rings.
68
Dec.
1 6, 1908 .
91
69
Jan.
8, 1909 .
92
70
)>
31
93
71
Feb.
23
94
72
Mar.
18
95
73
April
10
96
74
May
8
97
75
)>
26
98
76
June
18
99
77
July
i i
IOO
78
Aug.
3
IOI
79
»
26
IO2
80
Sept.
18
I03
Si
Oct.
1 1
104
82
Nov.
3
ios
33
5?
26
1 06
84
Dec.
19
07
«5
Jan.
11,1910 .
08
86
Feb.
i
o
09
87
)5
26
10
88
Mar.
2 I
1 1
89
April
13
I 2
90
62 The Salmon
The last number would make a salmon seven years old on its first
return from the sea.
THE SCALES OF SALMON
The late Lord Blythswood was the first to direct my attention to
the importance of the study of scales. During the year 1902 he very
kindly sent me several enlarged photographs of scales, which I have
still in my possession, drawing my attention to the contraction on
a grilse scale. This, he stated, pointed to the grilse having spent
one winter in the sea before returning to fresh water. Another
scale, showing three contractions, according to his theory, pointed
to that particular fish having spent three winters in the sea before
returning.
Knowing I had the opportunity of obtaining scales at all times,
he was anxious that I should put his theory to the test. Although
I had the idea that Lord Blythswood was correct in his assumption,
it still remained to be proved by practical experiment. This I im-
mediately set about doing, and devised, after much trouble, to mark
the delicate smolt, so that it would return in all its stages with
the mark still attached. Up to that time the marking of smolts
had been done in a most unsatisfactory and unsuccessful manner ;
and not until this mark was devised could any reliable information
be obtained.
Success attended my efforts ; and on comparing a scale taken from
the first marked grilse with that of the enlarged photo given me by
Lord Blythswood, I found one contraction, proving clearly that his
theory was correct. As the season advanced more marked fish came
forward, and the older the grilse the more lines could be counted on
the scales. Later on came the small spring fish, succeeded by the
autumn fish, each run showing two contractions.
Still later came the large spring fish, showing three distinct con-
tractions on their scales. On comparing the latter with the other
enlarged photo given me by Lord Blythswood, I found the scales
The Salmon 63
exactly the same, having an equal number of lines and contractions,
denoting they had spent three winters in the sea. The marking of
the smolts thus clearly proved what Lord Blythswood wished to point
out, that each contraction denoted the number of winters spent in
the sea.
This being known, the subsequent reading of the scales was com-
paratively easy. If reference be made to Figs. 80 and 81 it will be
seen that the former had been a year longer in the sea, had grown
to 35 Ibs., and had more lines on its scale than the latter, which
had attained the weight of 18 Ibs., and yet both are of the same
age, namely, five years. See also Fig. 43 (26^ Ibs., 6^ years old),
and two others caught in our nets with my marks intact. These
are the only authentic records in existence of smolts having been
marked and caught on their second return from the sea. During the
whole of the following season a strict watch was kept for marked
fish, but none were forthcoming, showing the supply had become
exhausted.
My marks, however, had served their purpose wrell, and added
much to our knowledge of the salmon, far beyond our fondest dreams.
Lately I have been devoting a great deal of time to examining the
scales of fish, in order to find out what percentage of those caught are
on their second return, and also to ascertain the number of lines put
on when in the sea.
A careful record has been kept during each season and month, but
unfortunately last year (1911) was so very dry that fish were unable to
push forward in numbers sufficient for my purpose. To give the per-
centage for any one year, however, I think would be quite misleading,
as the large fish cease when the small spring fish begin to increase in
numbers.
Each succeeding month also shows a big divergence, double the
number of small spring fish being caught in March than in February,
and the same rate of increase goes on until May, when the numbers
begin to decrease. Then, again, we have some seasons only yielding
one-third the number of small spring fish that others yield ; therefore,
64 The Salmon
to give the percentage caught on their second and third return would
not be of any great value. What I have said above also applies to
the autumn fish. In my opinion, in order to form a correct idea, one
would require to keep a record extending over a period of ten years.
The number of fish returning for the second and third time caught in
the nets on the Tay from 5th February 1911 to 2Oth August was 872.
Of that number 46 were got in February, 26 in March, 15 in April,
20 in May, 51 in June, 323 in July, and 391 from ist August until the
nets went off on the 2Oth of that month.
In a good season double this number are caught in the nets,
and more than double left in the river, besides those caught by
the rod. This would mean at least 4500 of these fish returning a
second and third time, showing that the much-despised kelt is worth
protecting.
It also shows the fallacy of the old theory that if you kill all the
kelts you will have no large salmon, for many of the latter are on their
first return from the sea, and have not yet spawned. It will be seen
from what I have written above that to take and examine a few
hundred, or it may be a few thousand scales from fish at intervals
throughout the season, and give the percentage, conveys no real
meaning. In my first addition I made out that in the autumn as many
as 19 per cent had returned a second and third time, figures arrived
at by counting the fish twice daily during several weeks. From closer
observation, this does not give the true percentage, as I did the same
last July (1911) when fish were scarce, and found the numbers far
more than 19 per cent — in fact, some days quite 34 per cent. To
arrive at the true percentage, one collecting scales would require to
examine every fish coming into our fish-house twice daily throughout
the whole season. This would be found quite impracticable, especially
when a big run of fish had to be dealt with, as thousands would require
to be examined daily. One can, however, overcome this difficulty by
picking out the fish that have spawned from their outward appearance,
and if any uncertainty exist, the gills can be examined for maggots,
wrhich are always present.
The Salmon 65
If we, then, wish to refer to the scales, it is an easier matter
to deal with from 4 per cent to 20 per cent than to go over the whole
morning or afternoon's catch as the case may be. The small spring
fish which begin to run in January, and cease about the middle of
June, or perhaps a little later if unable to push forward, are all of the
same age, namely, 4 to 4^ years. The autumn run of fish of the same
age takes place about the I5th July, and the spring run from the
beginning of November, and continues into May.
With experience one can quite well tell from outward appearance
the age of these fish, without having to refer to their scales.
For a considerable time I made little headway with the study of
scales, until I found out from the parr and the smolt the number of lines
added to their scales in a year. This supplied me with a key to Lord
Blythswood's explanation, so that after collecting scales from all the
different runs of fish, and at all seasons of the year for several years,
I was able to tell to within a month how long a fish had been in
the sea, and, of course, when it went down as a kelt, and whether
it was a grilse, small spring fish, autumn fish, or large spring fish.
I could also tell its age and its weight, and whether it had spawned
once or twice. This being so, I consider a study of the scales the
most important means of determining the life-history of the salmon
and the sea-trout.
The study of scales is a very wide subject, but I shall endeavour
to condense my remarks as much as possible. Just as the age of a
tree may be determined by counting the number of rings on a cross-
section of the trunk, where each ring shows the growth of one year,
so the age of the parr may be arrived at by counting the rings or
lines on its scales. The parr in a natural state, however, adds to
its scale each year not one ring only but sixteen, and this goes
on throughout all the life -history of the salmon as long as it
continues to feed and grow. In the parr fewer rings are put on
during the winter months than during the summer months, but if we
take a whole year the number works out as I have said, with very
few exceptions. I choose a year to calculate from, because if a fish
9
66
The Salmon
has rich feeding and has grown to a considerable size it may have as
many as twelve rings on its scales when it is only six months old ; but
notwithstanding this, in March, when it is a year old, it will only
FlG. 53. — April 1905.
FIG. 54 — i oz. August 1904.
FlG. 55.— i
oz. Stormontfield Ponds.
March 1908.
Fir, 56. — ij oz. April 1905.
have sixteen (Fig. 53). I reckon from March, the time the fry are
hatched, and will keep to this month all through. If, then, a parr is
hatched in March 1903 its scales will have sixteen rings by March
1904 (Fig. 54), and thirty-two by March 1905 (Fig. 55). It becomes
a smolt soon after, and goes down to the sea at the age of two years
and one or two months (Fig. 56). We see nothing more of these
The Salmon
F'r- 57- — l£ Ibs. 4th May 1907.
North Esk.
smolts until they return as grilse in May or June of the following
year, or it may be two to six months
later. If, then, a smolt returns on
ist June, after being one year and
two months in the sea, how many
rings should it have on its scales ?
On examining the scale we find there
are fifty-one rings on it : the same
result would have been got by mul-
tiplying the age of the fish- -3^
years — by 16, the number of rings
which are added each year. I here
take ist June, because this was the
date on which our first wired grilse
was caught from those which were
marked the year before.
I give enlarged photo-
graphs (Figs. 57 to 63) of
scales from wired grilse,
taken each month, which
clearly show the number of
rings as the season advances.
I have also made out a table
showing the number of rings
on the scales at the different
ages. This table will be
found to be fairly accurate,
taking one month with
another. There may be a
difference of one or two
rings according to the feed-
ing in the sea being better
in some months than others ; but if more rings than usual are
added during any one month, the fewer are added in some of
*
FIG. 58. — 2\ Ibs. 4th May 1906. North Esk.
68
The Salmon
FIG. 59. — 3 Ibs. ist June 1905.
of the same age. Very
few of the. latter, however,
are to be met with during
November ; besides, a spring
fish would be readily known
without reference to its
scales.
As a rule, the greatest
number of rings a grilse
has is fifty-nine or sixty;
although, of course, there
may be a few exceptions,
in the case, for example,
of a parr that did not be-
come a smolt until it was
three years old, or one that
became a smolt at the
age of one year, as some
the others. This difference in
the number of lines during
the different months, however,
is hardly worth considering
when it comes to longer
periods. No mistake need,
therefore, be made in dis-
tinguishing between a grilse and
a salmon, for one has only to
count the number of lines on
the scales by the aid of a
small magnifying glass. If the
number is less than fifty-eight
it is a grilse. The only other
fish that can approach this
number is a small spring fish
FIG. 60.— Marked as Smolt May 1905.
Caught 26th June 1906. 5i Ibs.
The Salmon
LT]
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The Salmon
maintain they do. This must be entirely exceptional, as I have
seldom found it in natural-bred smolts from which I have obtained
my information. The scales I studied were mostly taken from
smolts caught in the tidal water, and these were true smolts pro-
ceeding towards the sea. I have also taken scales from smolts
Fie. 63. — io| Ibs. iSth August 1906. Marked as Smolt May 1905.
40 miles from the sea and found no difference in them. Many parr
migrate to the sea long before the real silvery coat comes on them,
so that it is difficult to tell whether they would become smolts that
season or not. All parr and even trout in April and May become
quite silvery, almost like smolts. In fact, quite as great a change takes
place in the parr when passing from its winter to its summer dress
as that which takes place when changing from the parr to the smolt
stage. Smolts that are confined in fresh water after assuming
The Salmon
their silvery coat, continue to add rings to their scales just as those
in the sea do.
I have never found a grilse in the Tay with a less number of rings
than fifty-one, showing clearly that smolts do not return the same
year as they go down. All the grilse that come up from June to
December spawn, and those that are long in fresh water have both
edges of the scales broken off, and by the time they go down as kelts
are very much impaired.
I have known as many as
six or eight rings become
detached, the upper edge
remaining as it was when
the fish came from the sea.
When the kelt grilse enters
the sea and begins to feed,
it at once forms a ring
round the broken part as
well as round the whole
part, and these rings in-
crease in number according
to the time the fish remains
in the sea. To find the
time the fish has spent
in the sea, then, we have
merely to count the number
of complete rings from the broken part outwards (Fig. 64).
For example, a grilse of 7 Ibs. weight was caught in August 1906,
and its scales contained fifty-four rings. It spawned, and went dowrn
a kelt of 4 Ibs. on ist April 1907, and was caught again on i/th
August 1907, weighing 9 Ibs. The number of rings it had added from
ist April to i 7th August was seven, making the total number of rings
sixty-one. Its age, therefore, is four years and live months. Had it
remained in the sea a whole year, it would have added sixteen rings,
and would have weighed about 15 Ibs. In calculating the age from
FIG. 64. — 7 Ibs. 2Oth July 1907.
The Salmon
the number of rings one must be careful to remember that while grilse
and salmon are in fresh water no addition to the number of rings takes
place. On examining the scale carefully where the new rings join on
to the old, we find a dark line round the plain part of the scale. This
is where the new ring begins.
FIG. 65. — 10 Ibs. igth February 1907.
During winter, when the fish is in the sea, the rings become con-
tracted, and this is caused, I think, by the food-supply becoming scarcer
during the cold weather. This dark mark must not be confused with
the dark mark that is made while the fish is in fresh water, caused
by the breaking of the scales, which takes place every time the
iish returns to fresh water, and is afterwards clearly shown on the
scale. It is, however, seldom seen more than three times. Every
The Salmon 73
time a fish comes into fresh water, it is for the purpose of spawning ;
so that if a fish comes from the sea three times, it spawns three times.
The great majority, however, only spawn once. On examining all the
scales of the marked grilse and spring fish, I find that the contracting
of the rings generally takes place in January or February, and
occasionally in March. In April, again, they widen out, and the width
continues to become greater during the summer and autumn months.
By referring to some of the photographs the reader will observe
when a fish has spawned as a grilse, gone down as a kelt, and come
up as a clean salmon. Count the number of rings that have been put
on from the time it was marked to the time it returned, and refer to
the number and weight of the fish (Fig. 65). Due allowance must, of
course, be made for kelts lingering in the river after being marked.
The time need not be extended beyond the ist of May, as most kelts
have disappeared by that time. In almost every instance you will tell,
within a few weeks, the time the fish has been in the sea.
I will now deal with the scales of small spring fish which are of
the same age as the grilse of the previous year, and will confine my
remarks to fish marked by us, including the autumn run as well.
The first one caught was on iSth February 1907, and its weight
was 9^ Ibs. (Fig. 66). Now if this grilse, caught on ist June 1906,
had fifty-one rings on its scales, how many should this February fish
have ? The answer is sixty-two. Now at the same date the kelt of
the grilse of the same age has only fifty-one. This kelt grilse, being
on its way to the sea, will add another sixteen rings if it remain in
the sea for a year; so that when the spring fish of iSth February is
returning to the sea as a kelt, the kelt grilse will be going up the river
as a clean fish, and will now have sixty-seven rings on its scale, five
more than the iSth February spring fish kelt which is going down.
The last marked fish we got of the same age was caught on i9th
September 1907, and the number of rings on its scale was seventy-two
(Fig. 77). From the enlarged photographs of the scales taken each
month, it will be seen, in addition to the number of rings put on each
month, where the lines are contracted in some cases, and also where
10
74
The Salmon
they widen out again during the summer. No river-mark appears in
these scales, because the fish have not been in fresh water since they
descended as smolts.
To many it may seem strange that a grilse the same age as this
FIG. 66. — gi Ibs. i8th February 1907. Marked as Smolt May 1905.
February spring fish can be 8, 10, or 12 Ibs. weight in August the
previous year, and this spring fish, after having six months more
feeding in the sea, is yet of less weight. It seems equally strange
why a fish the same age as the grilse caught on Qth August
weighed 27 Ibs. Knowing these things, we need not wonder at a fish
being caught over 40 Ibs. in another year. We have no way of
knowing what the weight of the grilse that came up in the autumn
The Salmon
75
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76
The Salmon
would be on the ist of June, but we have every reason to believe
it would be of the same weight as those coming up in June ; and
owing to the growth being greater in summer than in winter,
twice as much weight is added during the former season. This is
seen all through their life-history. The grilse are small when they
FIG. 69. — loj Ibs. I5th March 1907.
first appear in summer, but by the end of autumn they have
increased to four times in weight. The same thing happens with
the small spring run. They weigh about 5 Ibs. to begin with, and
go on increasing until they are 12 or 13 Ibs. The increase in weight
here, however, is not so pronounced, because this run ceases by the
middle of June.
In the next run, however, the weight increases much more quickly,
The Salmon
77
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ca
s
rt
S
The Salmon
for a fish of the same age, caught on iSth July and weighing i8J Ibs.,
may be 27 Ibs. in August ; and a winter fish may be only 15 Ibs. in
October, and yet be 30 Ibs. or more by March. It is quite easy to
distinguish a small spring fish kelt from a grilse kelt by the increase in
FIG. 72. — Marked as Smolt May 1905. Caught iSth July 1907. 185 Ibs.
number of rings on the scale, and also by its having two contractions
on the scale instead of one.
The next run of fish is the winter run, and it begins on the Tay
in October and continues till the end of March. The fish in this run
are all clean, and do not spawn until the next autumn ; and not having
been in the river before, they do not show a river-mark. There are
seventy-three lines on the scales on 28th October, and by the end of
March there are eighty. The scales, too, have three contractions,
rt
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82
The Salmon
showing that the fish have been three winters in the sea. They can
thus be easily distinguished from the last run. The kelts from the
FlG. 79. — 38^ Ibs. Ijth February 1908.
spring fish are a little larger than those of the last run, but, of course,
they do not become kelts until they are a year older. I have tried to
ascertain how much these winter fish lose in weight while in fresh
NY:.ij»fl-i
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The Salmon
The Salmon 85
water, i.e. from the time a clean fish enters fresh water until it returns
to the sea. Some of them are a whole year in fresh water before
spawning, and, as nearly as I can make out, lose twenty-five per cent
FIG. 84.— 14 Ibs. 27th March.
of their weight before and after this takes place ; so that a fish of 20
Ibs. leaving the sea on ist January 1907 is reduced to half that weight
on its return as a kelt on ist January 1908. This percentage varies
with the length of time the fish is in fresh water, and according to the
river it frequents.
86
The Salmon
In the Tay, for example, fish retain their good condition
much longer than they do in the Earn, although the latter is a
FIG. 85. — 40 Ibs.
May 1906.
tributary of the former. In the Aberdeenshire Don they remain
longer in condition than in the Tay ; while in the Dee, again,
the early spring fish become quite thin and dark in colour as the
The Salmon
season advances. No doubt the quality of the water has something
to do with this.
Autumn fish, on the contrary, do not fall off in condition so
readily, as their stay in fresh water is of shorter duration. This
FIG. 86.— 5/i Ibs. 24th May 1907. See Fig. 128.
is, no doubt, caused by the fact that they cease feeding for a
considerable time before leaving the sea. Spring fish entering
Loch Tay during winter, retain their flavour throughout the spring,
and are always excellent for table use. The scales of fish that
have been in the river for nearly a year, become very much broken
at the edges before the spawning season commences, and on
88
The Salmon
returning again as clean fish the joining of the new rings to the
old is much more pronounced than it is on those of the autumn
run ; many of the latter, however, are so short a time in fresh
water before spawning and returning to the sea, that very little
damage occurs to the scales. When they appear in the river
'Surr
S2,!™°" 4 years 1 month
•w*— T^^^
FIG. 87. — Marked loi-lb. Kelt, i6th March 1906. Recaptured clean, 27 Ibs. , 8th August 1907.
again, it is therefore sometimes difficult to tell whether they have
been in fresh water before or not. In treating of fish falling off
in condition, I refer, of course, only to fish that would spawn on
entering fresh water. Fish caught in the sea and confined in
fresh water, as also barren fish, retain their silvery coat and their
good condition for many months. Even at the end of four
months little difference in their appearance can be detected.
The Salmon
89
On 22nd January 1907, whilst angling on the Islamouth beat of
the Tay, I caught twenty-four kelts, ninety per cent of which had been
a very short time in the river. Their average weight was about 20
Ibs., and all were dark in colour, some of them red ; in fact, I never
before saw fish in such splendid condition. I was so struck with
FIG. 88.— Marked as Kelt, 16 Ibs., February 1904. Recaptured iSth June 1905, 34 Ibs.
their appearance that I went back next day and caught a number,
and had them photographed. These photographs I reproduce
(Figs. 82, 83). No doubt these fish, caught a little later in the
season, would be known as " well-mended kelts," a term often applied
to them by anglers. Being black in colour, they are not, of course,
so showy as silvery kelts. The other ten per cent were ordinary long,
12
The Salmon
lank, silvery kelts. As far as my experience goes kelts do not increase
in weight during their sojourn in fresh water, although they certainly
become much stronger. Their silvery appearance, however, deceives
>, 6 years , 3 months
' X X
FIG. 89. — 40 Ibs. a6th June 1907.
the eye, just as a burnished bar of silver appears much larger to the
eye than a tarnished bar of the same size.
The scale (Fig. 96) is a very interesting one, as it is taken Irom
the only male salmon I have ever seen in our fish-house on its second
return from the sea. Going down as a smolt, it came up a grilse in
1910; descending as a kelt in the spring of 1911, it returned to the
The Salmon
FIG. 90. — 47 Ibs. August 1906. Shannon. First return from the sea.
92
The Salmon
river and was caught in our nets on the 2Oth August. This fish was
fresh from the sea, and had sea-lice clinging to it (see Fig. 98).
During its sojourn in the sea ten rings were added to the scale
beyond the kelt-grilse mark. The mortality amongst male fish enter-
I*?
»iSi»h r w\v ^ \\-^ *--.= V-;.?3
'tS^S^Vi.^' ^ % 6 years 4 »ont,hs
^Qf:-: -.••^:^x-
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•vx> v ;^v
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g^
FIG. 91. — 50 Ibs. loth August 1907. First return from the sen.
ing a river must be very great, few surviving, as I must have examined
100,000 fish before I came across this specimen.
The fish, Fig. 97, has sixty-four lines on its scale, making it four
years old, two of which have been spent in the river and the other
two years in the sea. This is one of the smallest spring fish I have
noticed in our fish-house. This scale shows exactly the same number
of rings as those from a fish double the weight over the same period.
The Salmon
93
FIG. 92. — 40 Ibs. August 1906. First return from the sea.
94
The Salmon
FIG. 93. — 65lbs. 6th June 1907. Norway.
The Salmon
95
Fig. 99 is a scale from another small spring fish, more than
double the weight of Fig. 97, but having the same number of lines
on its scale, denoting it has spent two years in fresh water and two
years in the sea. Ten narrow lines can be discerned on the outer
portion of the scale, and are known as the winter mark. The latter,
_
FIG. 94. —Marked as Kelt, u Ibs., I2th February 1906. Recaptured clean, 26 Ibs., loth July 1907.
however, must have been added in the autumn, showing that this is
not a reliable guide, as these marks are put on at various seasons.
The fish, Fig. 100, has been up on two occasions. On the outer
margin of the scale eight lines can be clearly seen, showing that this
fish had gone down as a kelt in the spring. From this contraction to
the next ten rings can be counted, denoting it had done the same the
96
The Salmon
tX^, ; •-.
/ % 'W
FIG. 95. — 61 Ibs. I3th July 1902. Tay. First return from the sea.
The Salmon
97
FIG. 96. — 14-lb. Male Salmon. 2Oth August 1911.
previous year. Had it escaped capture it would have ascended the
river a third time, spawned,
and become a kelt.
The scale, Fig. 101, is
from a female fish, and has
118 lines. The parr stage
shows twenty-eight lines ; to
this were added sixty lines
before it came up in the
autumn. Returning to the
sea, it remained there for
two years, when other thirty
lines were added, making a
total of 1 1 8 lines. If we add
another ten lines for the
time spent in fresh water
(August to March) we get
a grand total of 128 lines, making
the fish to be eight years of age,
which few attain.
Fig. 1 02 is a scale from one of
our marked fish of 1 2th February
1906. During the intervening
dates twenty-three lines had been
added to the scale, denoting a
sojourn of seventeen months in
the sea. This fish went down at
the age of two years, having at
that time thirty-two small lines on
its scale.
The scale, Fig. 103, is taken
FIG. 97.-3i-lb. Small Spring Fish. trQm a fish miir\^^ as a ^\t the
5th February 1911.
previous year. From the outside
to the kelt mark sixteen rings can be counted, which can be
98
The Salmon
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The Salmon
99
taken as representing the number of rings put on by a fish each
year. It is rather more difficult to count the rings from the centre
outwards than vice versa, and for two reasons : (a) When a parr
becomes a smolt rings are added outside the winter mark which are
the same as those put on in the sea, and it is almost impossible to tell
with certainty the last line added when in the river. This can be
easily proved by confining a parr until it has reached the smolt stage.
The above may also explain why a greater number of lines occur
FIG. 99. — 74-lb. Small Spring Fish. 22nd February 1911.
between the winter mark of the parr and the grilse than appear in after
years, (b] The lines often break up into two or three parts, and are
very difficult to follow. I always procure for examination scales
having the greatest number of small lines in the parr stage, and as
perfect in the centre as it is possible to get them. When I have
selected a perfect specimen, I count from the centre to the right in an
upward direction, but not quite to the top, because small lines are
always forming there, which would confuse one. In this way, if one
always counts in the same direction, one will find all the grilse, small
spring fish and large spring fish, have the same number of rings. The
IOO
The Salmon
o
6
o
.a
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The Salmon
101
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The Salmon
lines from the kelt to their return in the clean state are quite easily
counted, and give one a more correct idea of the number of lines put
on in the sea during each month and year.
The fish, Fig. 104, has been in the sea one year and four months,
having put on twenty-three lines on its scale since going down as a
kelt. There are also eight very narrow lines where one would expect
to find broad ones.
FIG. 104. — 24 Ibs. 2Oth June 1911.
The fish, Fig. 105, came up the previous year as an early grilse,
spawned, became a kelt, and went down to the sea in spring, return-
ing in July of the same year. There are eight lines from the kelt
mark to the outer edge of the scale, showing it had gone dowrn in
February and remained six months in the sea. Many kelts which
proceed seawards during winter and spring begin to return early
in July, and increase in numbers daily until the advent of December,
The Salmon
103
FIG. 105. — 7 Ibs. 2Oth July 1907.
f
FIG. 106. — 24 Ibs. nth April 1911.
IO4
The Salmon
o.
J=
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The Salmon
105
particularly those that were kelts eighteen months previous to
July.
A far greater number of fish return after spawning than is gener-
ally supposed ; and our netting operations confirm this statement.
When the netting ceases on the 2Oth of August we invariably come
across the greatest number, and if the nets were to continue for lour
weeks longer we would meet with a much greater percentage.
FIG. 109. — 35 Ibs. 2Oth August 1910.
Fig. 1 06 is a scale showing sixteen rings added since descending
as a kelt the previous spring.
Fig. 107 is a scale showing fifteen rings added since descending
as a kelt the previous spring.
The fish, Fig. 108, has added sixteen rings to its scale since pro-
ceeding to the sea as a kelt the previous spring, and remained there
throughout one year. The lines round the kelt mark have a peculiarly
twisted appearance.
The fish, Fig. 109, has added twenty-seven rings to its scale
14
106 The Salmon
since descending the previous February, having spent eighteen months
in the sea before again returning to fresh water. Before descending
the scale shows a hundred lines, in addition to forty-two parr lines,
quite the greatest number on any scale that I have examined from
Tay salmon. I make this fish to have descended when three years
old.
SALMON SCALES FROM NORWEGIAN FISH
It might be of interest to compare a few scales from fish of
Norwegian rivers with those taken from our Tay fish. Col. Percy
Hargreaves very kindly sent me some scales to examine (withholding
name of river, date, and weight) from fish caught by him during
season 1910. On examination I had little difficulty in detecting the
time each had entered the river, its age, weight, and average weight
of the whole, which I put down at 27 Ibs. This proved to be within
3 oz. of the actual weight. Col. Percy Hargreaves' description of
the river is as follows :- -The Aaro in the Sognfield, near Sogndal,
about seventy miles N.E. of Bergen, rises in a lake called the Hafsh
Lake, and is about seven miles long. Salmon can only ascend for one
mile, the other six miles being a series of waterfalls. The river for
about six miles is nearly fifty yards wide, and is more like a mill-race
than anything else. The lake is fed from a very large glacier, and
from December to April the fishable part of the river is almost dry.
As far as I can gather, nearly all the fish and burn-trout leave the
river by December ; a few may remain, but very few.
From a close examination of these Norwegian scales I have
come to the conclusion that nearly all the parr become smolts when
under two years of age. Most of the scales have on an average
twenty-five lines on them before any change takes place, and on the
larger fish this is clearly seen. On the other hand, all the smolt
scales I have examined show more lines than are to be seen on those
of the large fish. If I were to judge from the scales of the large fish
when the smolts went down, I would say at twenty-one months, but
judging from the smolt scales, I should say twenty-six months. No
The Salmon
107
doubt, the difference is due to the interval that occurs between the
parr stage and the time the smolt goes to the sea. I have found the
same difference to exist in the parr and smolts of the Tay. In my
opinion, the large fish of the Aaro are of the same age as our spring
fish in the Tay, which average 22 Ibs., the difference being due to the
fish of the former having four months' longer feeding in the sea. Out
V 1 s J"f
•-\ -
FIG. 110. — 22-lb. Female. Norway, gth June 1910.
of forty-eight scales examined, I found thirty-eight to have an average
of eighty-four lines on them, the remaining ten having over one
hundred lines, showing they had been up on a previous occasion.
Apparently no run of small spring fish takes place in this river. The
larger fish make their appearance towards the end of May, followed
by a run of smaller fish, averaging about 16 Ibs., early in July, and in
August by a few grilse and sea-trout.
The scale taken from the fish, Fig. no, has eighty-four lines on
loS
The Salmon
>>.
' • • -X
i- ' / :.
&v'-' ' ."
>-;•;:
The Salmon
109
it, making its age to be five years three months. Thirty narrow lines
point to its having gone down when two years old.
The scale, Fig. in, shows one hundred lines, and the fish went
down as a kelt the previous year, when it put on sixteen lines. Thirty
narrow lines in the centre show it had gone down also when two years
old.
The scale, Fig. 112, shows eighty-five lines, making the fish to
FIG. 113. — ag-lb. Female. 28th June 1910.
be five years three months. It is impossible from this scale to tell
where the parr lines end, as they are not well defined.
The scale, Fig. 113, shows eighty-seven lines, making the fish to
be of same age as Fig. 112. The parr lines in this scale are well
defined, showing clearly each year's growth of sixteen lines. This
fish went down when two years old.
The scale, Fig. 114, shows thirty parr lines, showing it had gone
down when two years old. At four years and three months it came
up again, the rings having increased to sixty-eight. The fish then
I 10
The Salmon
FIG. 114. — 36-lb. Male. 29th June 1910.
FIG. 115. — 24-lb. Male. 3Oth June 1910.
The Salmon m
became a kelt, descended, and came up the following year, adding
sixteen additional rings, making it six years three months.
Fig. 115 is a scale showing one hundred and two rings. There
are two well-defined contractions, each of which has sixteen lines,
showing it had also gone down when two years old, making it in all
one month older than Fig. 1 14.
FIG. 116. — 35-lb. Female. 6th July 1910.
I can only make out eighty-four lines in the scale, Fig. 116, as
the centre part is incomplete. This fish is on its third return, having
been up on two previous occasions. There are sixteen lines between
the last two contractions.
The scale, Fig. 117, shows eighty-five lines, making it out to be
five years four months. It shows twenty-three parr lines, but it is
impossible to know when it went down — probably when two years old.
1 12
The Salmon
FIG. 117. — 25-lb. Female, nth July 1910.
FIG. nS. — 22-lb. Male, gth June 1910.
The Salmon n3
The scale, Fig. 118, shows thirty-two parr lines, sixteen between
each contraction. It is quite an interesting scale, as at the second
contraction one can discern a distinct line encircling the scale, such as
is made when a fish is on its second return from the sea. This ring
might be caused after spawning, when in the kelt stage, by the scale
becoming reduced. We know quite well male parr spawn and become
kelts, but we do not know if the same thing happens with the kelt-
parr as happens with the salmon on its second return. With the
FIG. 119. — i4-lb. Male (Namsen). 7th June 1911.
former, however, the ring is put on in fresh water, and in the case of
the latter this occurs in the sea. Many male parr during the second
season have a more pronounced and better-defined ring on their
scales than is to be seen in that of the opposite sex. When we state
a fish has only spawned once, we may not be quite correct in our
assumption, for in the parr stage spawning may have occurred two or
three times. In the case of the opposite sex, however, we are more
sure of our ground, as we never find female parr carrying spawn.
15
1 14 The Salmon
During 1911 I examined several parr sent me by Col. Percy Har-
greaves from the Aaro, and I found the following number of lines on
their scales : 5f-inch parr with fifteen lines ; 6f-inch with twenty-six
lines ; and 8-inch with thirty lines.
-
FIG. 120. — 35-lb. Female (Namsen). I2th May 1911.
NORWEGIAN SCALES ( RIVER NAMSEN)
I am indebted to Henry J. Pearson, Esq., Bramcote, Notts., for
scales taken from River Namsen fish.
The scale, Fig. 119, has in all seventy-five rings, twenty-three
of which are narrow ones, showing the fish had gone down when two
years old, or perhaps a month or so earlier. It came up as a grilse,
The Salmon n5
went down again to the sea, and returned the following year, and
during that time added nineteen rings.
The scale, Fig. 120, has twenty-five narrow lines, which also
shows it had gone down when two years old. When six and a half
years of age it returned again, having at that time one hundred and
five rings. Going down again to the sea, it returned the following
year with seventeen rings added to the scale.
FIG. 121. — 27-lb. Male (Namsen). I2thjune 1911.
The scale, Fig. 121, has twenty-seven small rings, showing
it had, like the preceding two, gone down when two years old.
During its stay in the sea other sixty-three lines were added
before again coming into fresh water. Once more descending, it
came back the following year showing twenty additional lines on
its scale.
The scale, Fig. 122, shows one hundred and twenty lines, of
which twenty-five are parr lines. During its first sojourn in the sea
n6
The Salmon
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The Salmon n7
seventy-six lines were added, and on its second visit twenty-one lines,
making the fish to be SJ years of age.
The scale, Fig. 123, has one hundred rings, twenty-five of which
are parr lines. This fish is on its first return from the sea, and is 6J
years of age.
I examined other six scales, and found all to have the same
- ^ *
FIG. 124. — 62-lh. King Salmon.
number ol lines, namely, one hundred and thirty-seven. Strange to
say, out of ten scales, I found four of them to have been up before,
and this in a river where anglers seldom meet with kelts. From this
it is clear more kelts must go down and return than is generally
believed to be the case. In order to arrive at a correct idea how
many return, the river would require to be netted each month from
May to October, so that a much larger number could be examined.
John Roberts, Esq., very kindly sent me several scales taken
nS
The Salmon
from fish caught in the Fusta River, Norway. The scale from a
35-lb. fish had one hundred and one lines, twenty-seven of which were
parr lines. I make this fish out to be 6^ years old. Another scale
from a grilse showed fifty-three lines, and was quite like one of our
own from a Tay fish. Mr. Roberts was also kind enough to get his
ghillie to send me a few parr from that river. Those I examined had
all nineteen lines on their scales, and were caught in August. No
FIG. 125. — 35-lb. Tyee Salmon (Campbell River). 2Oth August 1910.
doubt, if caught in May of the following year, the usual number of
lines would be found.
SCALES FROM KING OR TYEE SALMON, CAMPBELL RIVER, VANCOUVER
The illustration shown (Fig. 124) is from a scale kindly sent me
by R. P. Page, Esq. This scale has one hundred and twenty-eight
lines, and estimating its age as we do the salmon, I would say it was
The Salmon
119
8 years old. The lines on this scale are very well defined, and show
no parr mark or contraction.
I received the scale, Fig. 125, from Captain B. Starkey. There
are eighty-eight lines on this scale, which compares favourably with
those of Tay salmon of the same weight, whose age would be 5^ years.
Like the former salmon scales I found no parr marks or contrac-
tions. Fig. 126 has seventy-eight rings, and another I examined
FlG. 126. — 14-lb. Choe Salmon (Vancouver). 4th September 1910.
from a fish of 8 Ibs. had seventy rings. The former, I presume
would be 4^ years and the latter 5 years of age.
LARGE SALMON
The largest salmon caught in British waters during the last thirty-
six years was caught in the nets on the Tay at Newburgh in 1872.
Its length was 4 feet 5 inches, its girth 2 feet 7 inches, and its weight
71 Ibs. Mr. Frank Buckland had a cast made of this fish and painted by
Rolfe. It is now in the Buckland Museum, South Kensington, labelled
70 Ibs., having evidently lost i Ib. by the time it reached London, as
I2O
The Salmon
I distinctly remember seeing it in Mr. Speedie's window in Perth,
labelled 71 Ibs. I was fortunate in procuring the negative of this fish,
and have pleasure in reproducing it (Fig. 127). Fish between 50 and
60 Ibs. in weight are often caught in the nets on the Tay, while a few
between 60 and 65 Ibs. are sometimes captured ; but beyond this weight
fish are rare. I have noticed in our fish-house as many as forty fish over
40 Ibs. in weight, all caught in one day with the nets. In smaller rivers,
however, a 4O-lb. fish is considered a monster. The following are
the weights of a few of the largest fish caught with the rod on
the Tay :-
Date.
Weight.
March
1870
6l
Ibs.
July
1875
5i|
5?
Oct.
1883
54
„
55
,,
Oct.
1898
56
55
53
55
Oct.
1903
55*
55
,,
1903
47
5)
Oct. 1907 63
Name of Angler.
John Haggart
J. Gellatly
Lord Ruthven
The Marquis of Zetland
Captain Goodwin
Lord Blythswood
P. M. Coats
W. H. Coats
Mr. Fletcher (Man-
chester)
Mr. Stewart (Perth)
Where Caught.
Stanley
Ballathie
Taymount
Stanley-
Scone Palace
water
Stobhall
Stobhall
Stobhall
Below Perth-
free water
Below Perth-
free water
How Caught.
Minnow
Sea-trout fly
Fly, Jock Scott
Fly, Major
Prawn
Fly
Fly, Wilkinson
Fly
Minnow
Worm
The Salmon
121
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The Salmon
127
Fig. 134 shows the head of the 63-lb. fish caught in October 1907
(see p. 120). It weighed 23 Ibs., and the length from snout to gill-
cover measured 15 inches. The average weight of the heaviest salmon
taken with the nets each year on the Tay for fourteen years is 60 Ibs.
2 oz. The largest fish taken in the nets this year (1908) was 63 J Ibs.
FIG. 134. — Head of a 63-lb. Male Salmon, caught by the rod on the Tay, October 1907
SALMON BRED IN PONDS AND CONFINED IN LOCHS
Parr hand-fed in ponds differ widely from those bred in their
natural state. If they are specially well fed, many of them will become
smolts at the age of one year. When this happens the smolt goes
on feeding and growing far more quickly than his neighbours in the
same pond that are still parr, and will not cease feeding during
the winter if food is abundant. When the Stormontfield Ponds
were emptied on 23rd March 1908, it was found that something had
128
The Salmon
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The Salmon
happened to the fry, with the result that the numbers of smolts and
parr were greatly reduced. Those remaining had more feeding
than usual, consequently a
greater proportion became
smolts the first year, many
of them being eight times
the weight of those that re-
mained parr. Fig. 139 shows
two of the same age — the one
8 oz., and the other i oz. The
larger one became a smolt when
one year old, and the smaller
was just assuming the smolt
stage when two years old. The
larger one, too, had a greater
number of rings on its scales
than the other. If these smolts
are prevented from going to
the sea, they develop ova and
may spawn on more than one
occasion, but their growth is
greatly retarded. A smolt
thus imprisoned usually weighs
at the end of the first year
from 6 to 10 oz. ; at the end
of the second, from 10 to iS
oz. ; and at the end of the
third year, from 18 to 32 oz.
A smolt four years old can thus
be 2 Ibs. in weight if it has
remained all its time in fresh
water. (See illustrations of smolts at different ages and of different
weights.) Smolts so confined become very restless, moving rapidly
through the water and leaping high into the air. Several I had con-
ri
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The Salmon
fined in tanks succeeded in jumping out, whilst others merely swam
round and round as if seeking for an exit. Should such be made in a
pond, or even in a large loch,
smolts would quickly find it out
and make their way seawards.
After a parr becomes a smolt
it never loses its silvery scales
again. All those I have ever
caught were like a bar of silver
both in summer and in winter.
During April and May they rise
freely to fly, but after this they
begin to become bottom-feeders.
When hooked with fly they
give good sport, cutting through
the water like a knife, and
then jumping several times out
of it.
SALMON FEEDING IN FRESH
WATER
A great deal of nonsense
has been talked about salmon
feeding in fresh water. I have
had ample opportunity of watch-
ing salmon all my life, from
the time they enter fresh water
till their return to the sea,
and I have given close atten-
tion to the subject, and have
no hesitation in stating that
during the salmon's sojourn in fresh water it does not require to feed.
It does seem strange, of course, that a fish coming up a river in
'32
The Salmon
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The Salmon
October in prime condition, remains there for seventeen months,
and returns to the sea without having tasted food ; nevertheless, it
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is true. Many people do not believe this, and no doubt there will
be a considerable number of that opinion for many years to come.
The Salmon
137
When fish enter fresh water they begin to decrease in weight, and
altogether fall off in condition until they return to the sea again.
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Others again endeavour to prove that they do feed in fresh water
by referring to the well-mended kelt ; but, although the kelt appears as
18
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\j
if it had been feeding and growing fatter, it is still losing weight. It
is not, therefore, the fish that is growing fatter ; it is the eye that
is deceived by the scales becoming more silvery and the fish more
showy. The kelt, of course, does become much stronger in April,
and is then more difficult to land ; but the same thing holds good
with regard to spring fish, for in the cold weather in January and
February they are not nearly so strong as they would be if caught
in April or May. It is the higher temperature of the water that
is the cause of this : it is not that the fish has become stronger
through feeding. No doubt a fish immediately after its exertions
in spawning is weaker than it would be, say, two months later,
but its strength is due to good health and not to feeding. In all
my experience I have never observed a kelt chase a parr, smolt,
or trout, nor have I ever known of any one having seen such a
thing, although I quite recently read an article in which the writer
mentions that kelts make great havoc amongst smolts ! If salmon
do feed in fresh water there would be nothing but parr, smolts,
and trout for them to feed upon. If such were their food, then the
hundreds of thousands of salmon in some of our rivers would
swallow them all up in a week. They will take a cherry, a goose-
berry, an acorn, a leaf, or almost anything that swims against the
current. On taking any of these, however, the fish eject them even
although they have been swallowed, and allow them to fall to the
bottom without exciting any further curiosity.
I have on several occasions dropped prawn from a bridge into a
river. They were readily taken, but after a few nibbles the fish
allowed them to fall to the bottom. I have dropped sweets in the
same way, and the fish took them, but treated them as they did the
prawn. A few years ago, for the sake of experiment, I obtained
leave to kill as many kelts as I wished during the last week of
April, at which period the river is full of smolts. I killed many of
them, but failed to find any food in their stomachs. At the same
time I killed many sea-trout kelts, weighing, in some cases, 3 and
4 Ibs. In most of these, however, I found flies and the larvae
The Salmon 139
of the early Ephemerae and caddis- flies in process of digestion.
I have examined thousands of salmon in our fish-house, but have
never found any trace of food in any of them ; neither have our men,
who have had hundreds of thousands through their hands. As I have
already said, it is not so with sea-trout and brown trout. They are
often found gorged with parr and smolts. In the stomachs of sea-trout
caught in tidal waters are often found sand-eels, sparling, and young
herring.
" WHY DO FISH COME UP FROM THE SEA?'
The majority of anglers and those interested in the life-history
of the salmon would undoubtedly answer " To spawn."
This may be one reason, but I am not convinced that it is the
true solution. If we but consider, a spring fish coming up in October,
with no signs of spawn developing, and remaining in fresh water for
more than a year before spawning, it is difficult to believe " the
spawning instinct " has caused it to leave the sea. My own idea is
(and I am pleased to note Sir Herbert Maxwell holds the same views)
the fish feed in the sea so long as they are able, and then when the
migratory instinct comes on they make for their own particular river.
They may remain for a longer or a shorter period in the river, but
the desire to feed does not again return until they have spawned and
become kelts. Even in the kelt stage no undue haste is apparent of
their desire to return to the sea to feed. I do not for one 'moment
believe that fish coming up a river return again to the sea to feed
before finally entering the fresh water to spawn. We occasionally
meet with fish in the Tay estuary, mostly red fish which have come
up in the spring, but these are so few in number we could scarcely
•call it a migration. Another point requiring to be cleared up is—
Why do some fish re-enter a river alter one year's sojourn in the sea,
whilst others are two, three, and four years before returning?
It is also difficult to find a satisfactory reason why some kelts,
.after a four months' sojourn in the sea, return to the river, whilst
others remain from one to three years. Parr, as we know, go from
140
The Salmon
feeding during the winter, and nature may work in the same mysterious
way with the salmon during each succeeding winter in the sea.
This periodic temporary fast, as we might term it, may account
for the closer dark lines that appear on the scales. I do not, however,
think this could be caused by the fish ceasing to feed, as they cease
doing so at all seasons when their time comes to enter fresh water.
We see this in trout, but not quite so pronounced. In Loch Leven
during the summer and winter about six per cent ol the trout are
barren, and would not spawn the same year. These trout keep in
perfect condition during the winter and summer, and do not seek up
the various spawning streams. Fish may, therefore, come up from the
sea for two reasons: (i) Feeding has ceased; (2) Forced to do so
because spawning season has arrived. We know from the marks on
the scales that many of the autumn fish full of spawn feed up till the
time they leave the sea. This may have something to do with the
kelts from these fish returning quickly to the sea after spawning. All
autumn fish, however, do not behave in this manner, as many remain
for a much longer period after spawning.
MOVEMENTS OF SALMON IN TIDAL RIVERS
My experience of the movements of salmon in tidal waters is
almost entirely confined to the Tay. The Tay has a long estuary,
and the tide flows for a distance of 35 miles. The lower part of the
river is from 2 to 3 miles broad during high water, and the
upper part from 100 to 400 yards wide. During winter and spring
many fish remain a considerable time in the estuary on coming
from the sea. It is rather strange that an east wind brings the
fish in towards the shore, whilst a west wind makes them hasten
up the river. Mild weather, too, makes them push up the river,
while snow floods keep them back. When the snow water begins to
leave the river they come on in large numbers, and during some
seasons it is only when the floods cease that the fish begin to run,
although, when the floods are caused by rain, fish will run in high
The Salmon
141
water. As the season advances the fish are more inclined to come
on, and the greater number of them come up the estuary with the
tide. At high tide, however, many fish turn and go down the river
on days most suitable for their travelling upstream.
Taking the season as a whole, more fish are caught with the nets
on their way down the river than there are on their way up. From
May until the end of July fish coming up with the tide are far more
eager to push forward than those ascending at any other part of the
season, very few remaining in tidal water during summer. In the
early autumn, however, large numbers of fish coming up with the tide,
return to the estuary again, and remain there until the temperature of
the weather or the water induces them to push forward. Both high
winds and floods induce fish to move upstream. During August and
September floods need not be higher than from four to six feet to
bring them off the banks below. While they remain in the lower parts
of the river they lose their silvery appearance, become red in colour, and
show signs of the spawning season coming on them. Often when fish
are running well in a moderate -sized flood, and the river continues to
rise, they will cease running for the time being, or, in the words of the
fishermen, the high water " puts them back." The largest number run
when the river clears up, one day or, it may be, two days after the flood.
Throughout spring most of our fish are caught on the sunny side
of the river, showing that they keep to this side. In the autumn,
again, they are got on both sides. I am inclined to think that fish
coming in from the sea, run up with the tide and fall back again as it
ebbs, and do not proceed up the river again until wind and water are
favourable for their pushing right forward. If this were not so, I am
afraid they would have little chance of escaping the nets, for on four
occasions during twenty-four hours and twenty-four times a week they
would run the risk of being caught. As a rule, when fish are collecting
in the estuary, it is chiefly the ones that have just come from the sea
that are caught by the nets, and very few red ones. The latter, how-
ever, are captured when a flood comes and they begin to leave the
banks. When everything is favourable for fish running, the best
142
The Salmon
conditioned ones are to be met with. On days that are unsuitable for
running, many of the fish are thin, and a greater number in proportion
are seal- marked, showing that fish in prime condition are more
inclined to run when the water and weather are suitable. More
fish run during night than during the day.
THE MOVEMENTS OF THE FISH IN THE SEA
We have little knowledge of their movements from the time
they visit the sea as smolts until they appear again along the coast,
and are either caught in the stake-nets or soon after they enter a
river. I am of opinion that every salmon or grilse on coming to our
shores wishes to enter its own river, and would do so if it were not
caught in these nets. A good deal of nonsensical talk has been
indulged in, in arguing the advisability of catching all the fish in the
sea and leaving the rivers unfished. The wiser plan, however, would be
to remove all stake and bag nets from the sea and catch the fish in the
rivers. They can be caught in the rivers at far less expense, and being
caught by sweep-nets, are not so roughly handled, and are killed at once
on being captured. They are thus in much better condition than those
caught in stake-nets, although I know many people think differently.
During the sitting of the recent Royal Commission, Lord Elgin
was astonished to hear me say that the fish caught in our sweep-
nets were better than those caught in our stake- nets in the sea.
My explanation was, the method of catching them made the river
ones superior to those caught in the sea. If they toss about in the
stake-net until they die and are then rolled about by the waves,
their scales are torn and rubbed off and their flesh becomes soft
and flabby, and altogether they have the appearance of " cadged '
fish. One can easily see this if the two kinds be compared on
a fishmonger's slab. The sea-caught ones lie as flat as a flounder ;
whereas the river-caught ones are stiff and rigid and do not lie flat.
I am of opinion that the increased number of stake and bag nets
on the coast is not only curtailing the supply of fish, but is actually
The Salmon 143
ruining some of our West Coast rivers which used to swarm with
salmon, but whose yield at the present time is almost nil. The fish
run up these small rivers from the sea in time of flood ; but when the
flood subsides there is not enough water to protect them, conse-
quently they are forced to return to the sea again, and are captured
by the stake-nets, so that few are left to ascend the river and main-
tain a sufficient stock. Wherever, too, stake or bag nets have been
removed the stock of fish has increased. At present these nets are
allowed to be used far too near the mouths of rivers. In my opinion
they ought to be at least two miles away.
Some people maintain that they catch many fish that would not
enter a river the same season, but most of the fish that come to our
coasts are steering their course to some river. I do not think more
than three per cent of the salmon thus caught would remain in the
sea. Even if many of them did remain, it is no argument in favour of
catching them in the sea, because the nets would be taking immature
fish, which by another year might be three times the weight. Again,
during their sojourn in the sea their food costs nothing. I think, then,
the number of stake-nets in the sea should be greatly lessened.
Riparian proprietors spend a great deal of money in providing for the
welfare of the salmon in their rivers. Yet we find fish so reared are
caught by others living outside of the river district, and in a whole-
sale manner by stake-nets, causing the rivers to become neglected,
and the supply of fish to become very limited. So long as plenty
of fish are allowed to pass into the rivers, they will be protected
whenever they show signs of increase. About thirty years ago
many proprietors would say to me that their stretch of river brought
them so little return that they were not troubling to look after it.
Since then, however, their stretches have risen in value to the extent
of 300 or 400 per cent.
THE SALMON DISEASE
The salmon disease first made its appearance in the river Eden
at Carlisle ; the following year it was noticed in the Tweed ; and the
144
The Salmon
next year in the Tay. No one has yet been able to find out its cause,
nor to devise a remedy for it. I do not pretend to know anything
about its cause or cure, but I have seen a great deal of it in the Tay
and its tributaries, which have never been free from it since its
The Salmon
145
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introduction. During some seasons it is worse than in others,
and the colder the weather
the worse it becomes.
In the year it was
first known it commenced
in the spring by attack-
ing spring fish. In the
autumn, again, its ravages
commenced in September,
and continued during the
whole winter, causing
the death of thousands of
fish. Since then the
autumn fish have become
affected later each year,
and this year (1907) very
little of the disease was
seen among the autumn
fish until December.
Winter, spring, and sum-
mer fish, however, are
more or less affected
throughout the whole year
when they enter the higher
reaches. This, I think, is
caused by the clean fish
entering the district
where the river is full of
old diseased fish. If so,
these spring fish infect
the summer fish, and these
latter the autumn ones,
and this goes on year after year.
The falls of Tummel, Garry, Lochy, Dochart, and Lyon help
19
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46
The Salmon
the disease greatly, for the fish keep jumping at these falls con-
tinually and cut themselves on the rocks, thus rendering them-
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selves more subject to the disease. They cannot proceed farther,
and the number of diseased fish soon increases, and each new
fish on coming among them becomes affected, so that the pools
below the falls soon swarm with them. By April they begin
The Salmon
147
to die, and continue to drop off until the end of the spawning
season, when nearly all die. So infectious is the disease that three
years ago on the river
Almond about a hundred
fish died per day in a dis-
tance of less than a mile.
Whenever there was a slight
flood in the river large num-
bers of fish without a spot
on them ascended, and in
the course of a few days
nearly all became affected
and died (Fig. 146). One
or two white spots appear
on the head or the dor-
sal fin. These are at
first very small, but in two
or three days the disease
spreads rapidly. The fish
jumps frequently, as if to
try to rid itself of it, but
soon becomes exhausted
and dies. Autumn fish
appear better able to with-
stand the disease than
spring fish just from the sea,
for a spring fish will often
die with only one spot
on its head no larger than
a shilling, while an autumn
fish will live although its
body is almost entirely covered. The disease takes the greatest
hold when a fish is about to spawn, more especially if the weather
be cold, and many hundreds fall victims to its ravages. The accounts
o
~
en
148
The Salmon
,
of the number of dead diseased fish in different rivers that one
frequently reads, do not
give an adequate idea of the
numbers that die, for when a
flood comes it sweeps them
down in thousands, and they
are carried out to sea or
left in the estuaries, and
perhaps not one in fifty is
noticed. All the season
through diseased fish drop
back daily, many of them
reaching the salt water
alive. As long as the
river continues low many
can remain in it, but
when a flood comes they
are unable to resist the
strength of the current.
Whenever they lose con-
trol of themselves they roll
over and very soon die.
If the disease died with
them it would not be so
serious, but weeks after
death the disease continues
to develop, until every part
of the fish is covered to the
depth of a quarter of an
inch. In Fig. 149 I have
scraped away a part to show
the thickness of the fungus.
In order to prove that fungus attacks dead fish, I tied a clean fish
without a spot on it to a stake in the river and left it there for a fort-
FIG. 149. — Showing fungus developed after the fish was dead
for a considerable time. See two parts scraped off.
The Salmon
149
night. On my going back I found fungus had attacked it in the same
manner as on a living fish. When the fish come from the sea they appear
to be, judging from outward appearance, entirely free from disease, as no
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spots can be detected on them. The greatest loss through the disease
is to the net fisher, for the fish that die have been of no service whatever.
Had they survived they would have become kelts, have gone to the sea,
and returned as clean fish double or treble the weight. Not only so,
150
The Salmon
but all those escaping the nets would have spawned had not the disease
attacked them. This of course is the greatest loss of all. The disease
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also deprives the angler of part of his sport. When the fish becomes
affected it is too~ much concerned with trying to rid itself of the disease
The Salmon '51
to have time to look at the angler's lures. Besides, it is repeatedly
jumping out of the water at various angles, and while under water is
almost constantly rubbing itself against the bottom or on rocks or
stones, often turning on its back and sides in its endeavour to be rid
of the fungus. Loch Tay has fallen off greatly since the disease
commenced, and the wonder is that the supply has kept up so well
during the last twenty years. Much has been said and written about
preventing the disease, but little or nothing has been done towards
stamping it out. Of course, although a cure were discovered, the
difficulty would be how to apply it.
I am of opinion that if all proprietors on affected rivers were
to clear away all obstacles and allow the fish to have a clear run,
they would distribute themselves over the whole river course, instead
of as at present being huddled together under weirs and falls and
in polluted parts of the river. Many of the fish would thus be out of
reach of the disease. Every fish that became affected in the higher
reaches during spring and summer should be destroyed to prevent
the rivers from becoming polluted for the autumn run, which is by
far the largest. If the disease continued it would be advisable to erect
a barrier across the river and catch every fish that came up in spring
and summer, and keep them in ponds and spawn them. Any that
showed signs of disease could thus easily be treated. I should also
recommend that all dead and dying fish be removed from the
river. Until now this has only been done in a half-hearted way. Not
only salmon but sea-trout, trout, grayling, and even sparling are
subject to the disease. Those who wish to study the salmon
disease should read 77/6' Cause of the Salmon Disease, by J. Hume
Patterson, Glasgow. On page 12 he sums up as follows: — " ist,
The Fungus Saprolegnia ferax is not the cause of the salmon disease.
2nd, The disease is due to the invasion of the tissues of the fish by a
special bacillus (Bacillus salmonis pestis}. 3rd, The bacillus gains
access through abrasion or ulceration of the skin, and the disease is
apparently not contracted when the skin of the fish is in a healthy
state. 4th, Bacillus salmonis pestis can be transmitted from dead
I52 The Salmon
diseased fish to other dead fish in the same water; and 5th, from dead
fish to living."
I do not agree with Dr. Patterson, however, in regard to No. 3
above. As I have already mentioned, I made a special study of the fish
which came up the river Almond from the Tay. Sometimes about a
hundred came up in one day and could get no farther. I n two days about
half of these fish became diseased, and in other two days the remainder
became affected. None seemed to escape and almost all died. Surely
all could not have had abrasion or ulceration of the skin, as they
had no rocks to pass or weirs to surmount, and were only one mile
from tidal water.
I have always wondered how a salmon was able to take care of
itself in the sea, for we see them brought ashore without a scratch or
a scale ruffled. I believe that every salmon on entering a river is
subject to disease. Fish, if not badly affected while spawning, often
revive in the kelt stage, go to the sea, and return again. About
April many of the kelts heal up quickly. It is not so, however, with
the clean fish ; they continue falling clown the river, and are daily
caught in the nets. I have been told that since the storage of water
was commenced in the Helmsdale the disease has disappeared.
Before the water was stored I have counted dead fish by the score in it.
Dr. Patterson says Bacillus sahnonis pcstis grows well in the sea
water, whereas Saprolegnia does not grow. Therefore a diseased
salmon entering the sea and returning to the river apparently free
from fungus cannot be said to be free from the disease. Many people
believe that a diseased salmon on entering salt water is cured of the
disease ; if this were the case there would be some chance of its
dying out, but there is not the least doubt that Dr. Patterson is
right, for if it were not so the disease might appear in one river
and not in another. I am strongly of opinion that the disease
came from the Eden at Carlisle, where it first made its appearance ;
that from there it was carried to the East Coast by gulls, found its
way to the Tweed, and from thence to all the rivers north of the
Tweed as far as to the Thurso on the North Coast.
SEA-TROUT
(Sa hiio trutta]
THE sea- trout is one of the best sporting fish we have in Great
Britain, and is, besides, of greater value than any others to those
who are fortunate enough to possess waters that contain them. They
are netted in great numbers in our rivers and in the sea, and when
we consider the vast quantities that are sent not only to our own
markets, but also to those on the Continent, the revenue derived from
them must be very great.
I consider the sea-trout distinct from the salmon and grilse.
Any one who has the opportunity of observing them proceed up a
river can prove this by the way in which they run. No matter what
its size may be, the sea-trout always runs in a zig-zag fashion — first to
the one side and then to the other. The salmon, on the other hand,
runs in a straight direction. Another way of knowing the sea-trout
is by counting the number of scales. There are fourteen from the
adipose or dead fin to the lateral line. The salmon, on the other hand,
as may be seen from the illustration, has ten (Fig. 153). By counting
the scales, then, is a simple way of distinguishing between them,
and is so sure a guide that no mistake need be made. From the
photographs of sea-trout, both large and small, which are given it will
be seen that they vary a great deal.
Having made a careful study of this subject for thirty years, and
having collected all the information I could bearing upon it, I have
come to the conclusion that the sea-trout is the same fish as that which
is called white trout, bull-trout, gray trout, peel, sewin, brith-dail,
salmon-trout, and many other names. In the grilse stage it is known
153 20
154
Sea -Trout
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Sea-Trout
155
as herling, whitling, Finnock, Lammasmen, etc. ; while in the smolt
stage it is called yellow-fin, orange-fin, black-fin, and silver-white.
In fact, almost every district has a different name for each of the
three stages. While much confusion is thus caused, it would be a
FIG. 153. — Salmon, showing number of scales from adipose fin to lateral line to be ten.
very simple matter to call them sea-trout, in the grilse stage whitling,
and in the smolt stage yellow-fin (Fig. 155).
The history of the sea-trout differs widely from that of the salmon ;
but I shall explain this later. It is often difficult to tell a parr of the
yellow -fin before its fin becomes yellow, although those who have
experience in dealing with them have no trouble whatever in dis-
156
Sea -Trout
tinguishing them at a glance. In marking the salmon smolts we are
not aware of having made a single mistake in this connection, although
there were plenty of yellow-fins also in the net, and no wired sea-trout
have been caught. Although yellow-fin is the name applied to the smolt
stage of the sea-trout, it must not be understood all have yellow fins,
FIG. 154. — Sea-trout, showing scales from the adipose fin to the lateral line.
The four specks are sea-lice.
for many have their fins of quite as dark a colour as those of a salmon
smolt (Fig. 156). As a rule, the yellow-fins are larger than the
salmon smolts, and this may be accounted for by the fact that the
former are from a month to six weeks older, and therefore have an
earlier start than the salmon smolts.
I am of opinion that the yellow-fins do not go far out to sea
before returning as whitling (Fig. 157) about the end of June.
During the whole season we catch them, in the estuary, in all stages
Sea -Trout
157
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158
Sea-Trout
up to half a pound. A study of the scales goes to prove that after
going down and returning as whitling they have only been from three
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to four months away. If yellow-fins are prevented from reaching the
sea by being confined in a loch, they will become sea-trout and weigh
about 1 6 oz. by the end of the year, and appear quite as bright as those
Sea-Trout
159
just returned from the sea. The one from which the illustration (Fig.
158) was taken was a perfect specimen when I caught it. The yellow-
fins, then, which return about the end of June, have only been three
months in the sea. At first they are very small, weighing only about a
quarter of a pound, but they continue to increase in size up to the end of
November, when the largest weigh about i Ib. While they remain in
fresh water they feed on larvae, flies, worms, etc., the greater number
of them, however, prefer the tidal water, and in the Tay very few are
caught more than ten miles above this. They remain in the river
until the end of December, when they begin to go down in consider-
FIG. 157. — ^-lb. Whitling. First return from the sea. July 1900.
able numbers. Of course, some may go down somewhat earlier, but
from December until the beginning of May they are constantly going
down, and, if the weather is warm, practically all will have disappeared
from the river by the ist of May. Their condition greatly depends on
whether the winter has been cold or warm, and, of course, the
warmer the weather the better will be their condition, as they have
more to feed on and are more inclined to feed then. During some
seasons they are so thin that they have the appearance of kelts ;
but by October and November, if the weather is warm, they are
in good condition again, and the same applies to the months of March
and April. When the March browns and blue duns appear on the
river, the whitling feed ravenously and seldom allow a fly to pass.
i6o
Sea -Trout
I now come to a point on which there is great difference of
opinion, namely, whether, while in this stage, they spawn and become
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kelts. My opinion is they do not spawn. I have seen them at all
times and have looked for one with ova, but never found one.
Poachers catch them all through the winter and always find a ready
Sea -Trout
161
sale for them. They are sold in the open market, too, all through the
spring, and anglers are allowed to catch them. In some rivers the
autumn months are the best for
catching them, while in others they
take more freely in the spring.
In the Tay and the Earn spring
is the best time. On one occasion,
on the roth March, I caught with
fly eighty of them, averaging three-
quarters of a pound in weight.
The largest, which scaled one and
a quarter pounds, is the largest
I have ever caught. In July,
August, and September thousands
of small whitling are caught and
called sea-trout. These would be
better left in the river, as they
are little better than smolts. If
this were done the number of sea-
trout would soon greatly increase.
From what has been said it
will be seen that the habits of the
sea-trout differ widely from those
of the salmon, and these differ-
ences may be summed up as
follows :-- (i) The sea -trout
comes into fresh water nearly a
year before the grilse of the
salmon. (2) It feeds in fresh
water, which the salmon does not.
(3) It does not spawn on its first
return to fresh water. After the
whitling goes to sea it remains there for three or four months, and
comes up as a sea-trout from i to 2^- Ibs., according to the length of
21
—
—
l62
Sea -Trout
time it remains in the sea (Fig. 161). In the earliest rivers they
begin to run in January, although only in small numbers, and continue
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till October, but of course the seasons have a great deal to do with
their running early or late.
Sea-Trout
163
The Tay, I dare say, is the earliest river in Great Britain, and
one would expect them in it as early as in any river. Every spring
O
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paragraphs appear in the public press stating that most of the sea-
trout caught in early spring are kelts (Fig. 162). I have the numbers
164
Sea -Trout
caught in our nets on the Tay for the last eight years. The average
number in February is 20 ; in March,
300 ; in April, 400 ; in May they quickly
increase in numbers, and continue to do so
till the middle of July, when few come up.
They are then caught mostly in the lower
reaches of the tidal part of the river.
Most of these are large and much inferior
in quality to the earlier ones.
Strange to say, on the 5th February of
this year (1908) we caught more sea-trout
at one station — Almond Mouth — in one
FIG. 163.— ii oz. 2;th April 1907. day tnan we had caught in a month in
some other seasons. Since then they have greatly increased, and we
are now (24th April 1908) get-
ting from 100 to 120 daily, all
in perfect condition, averag-
ing about i^ Ibs. in weight.
None of these have spawned, al-
though all will spawn this season.
These sea-trout are now a little
over three years of age, and are
on their second return from the
sea. Now the grilse of the sal-
mon have not yet returned once
to the fresh water, nor will they do
so until the middle of May or the
beginning of June. Nodoubtthe
mild autumn and spring had some-
thing to do with the running of
these sea-trout so early, and with
their being in such fine condition.
All these sea-trout will hasten on to the higher reaches and will go as far
as the water will allow them. The age of these sea-trout can be ascer-
FIG. 164. — i Ib. Caught at sea, 3ist July 1907.
Sea -Trout
165
tained from their scales as in a grilse, with this difference, that in the
whitling stage new rings are added during their stay in both salt and fresh
water. The number of rings will be found to be forty-nine, making
them the same age as the grilse, which have not yet returned from the sea.
I give also a few illustrations of the scales of sea-trout of different
sizes (Figs. 163, 164, 165). The sea-trout weighing about i^ Ibs.,
FIG. 165.— 9 Ibs. Coquet, 25th July 1907.
as I have already said, run up as far as the water will take them
and spawn about the beginning of October. They select gravel of a
non-shifting nature and very much finer than that which the salmon
selects. Their movement in spawning is very much quicker than that
of a salmon, and they take much less time to deposit their spawn,
this only occupying them from two to four days. After spawning they
become kelts, fall back into the pools, become very lean, and remain in
the pools for some time, until they recover from its effects. They
1 66
Sea-Trout
then roam about and feed freely, and come into so good condition by
April that one has some difficulty in recognising them as kelts. By
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studying the scales, however, one can easily make sure of his ground,
as scales taken from a kelt are always broken at the edges. These kelts
Sea -Trout
167
go down from January to May, and some of them return again in July,
double what they weighed on going down. Others remain longer in the
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sea. and come up in February, weighing from 3 to 5 Ibs., while others
remain till July and are from 5 to 8 Ibs. Those that are on their second
1 68
Sea -Trout
return from the sea and have not spawned are in the best of condition,
and are so pink-fleshed and so well flavoured that I think no fish are
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better than they are from April to the middle of July. After spawning
they resemble the salmon, become white in the flesh, and much coarser.
Sea-Trout
169
Sea-trout occasionally grow to a very large size. One was got
in the nets at Ballathie weighing 18^ Ibs. (Fig. 166), and we caught
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one on 28th June 1907 weighing 19^ Ibs. This was the finest speci-
men I have ever seen (Fig. 152). We often capture sea-trout from
6 to 12 Ibs., but very seldom do we get monsters like this.
All round our coasts the sea swarms with sea-trout, they are
22
Sea -Trout
found in Orkney, Shetland, and the Outer Hebrides. In the river
Grimersta they are also plentiful. On one occasion I visited the
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latter to study the kelt sea-trout, and in April I caught many in
good condition, dissected them, and found they had been feeding on
Sea -Trout
171
the larvae of Ephemerae and caddis flies. Most of the clean ones
were newly from the sea and weighed about i lb., but no large run
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of sea-trout takes place in the Lewis until later in the season. In
the Kyles of Durness and Tongue large numbers are taken with
sand eel and minnows. The river Laxford and Loch Stack swarm
with sea-trout, where there are no nets to reduce their number.
172
Sea -Trout
In a dry season sea-trout collect in great numbers at the mouths
of small streams, and seem desperately eager to obtain a little fresh
water. When in this excited state I have tried to catch them in the sea,
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but could not persuade them to look at a fly. It is quite different, how-
ever, in Shetland, where sea-trout often take a fly quite freely in the
sea. Sea-trout run much faster than salmon, and being smaller they can
Sea -Trout
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Sea-Trout i77
run with much less water. During summer they may be seen run-
ning over weirs and up shallows writh their backs above water. In
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summer, a mild night when there is a little fresh water in the river
is their favourite time for running, but slight frost soon stops them.
78
Sea -Trout
In high water the sea- trout appear to evade the lower nets,
as most of those caught are got in the higher ones.
BULL-TROUT
I am inclined to think bull-
trout are neither more nor less
than sea- trout, and why they
are called bull-trout I cannot
tell, for I have examined many
and can find no difference be-
tween them and sea-trout. The
river Coquet in Northumber-
land is famous for its bull-trout,
which come up in large numbers
in June, and continue to increase
in number until the spawning
season. Those running in the
earlier part of the season are in so
fine condition that it is difficult to
tell them from salmon. Many of
them are from 5 to 10 Ibs. in
weight, and when in good con-
dition they are really very hand-
some fish ; but for the table they
are inferior to salmon, their flesh
being white as a rule. I think,
then, that instead of being called
bull-trout they ought to be called
sea-trout. The younger ones,
weighing from i to 3 Ibs., are excellent for the table, but as they
grow older they become coarser and whiter in the flesh. The
feeding may have something to do with this.
o
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Sea -Trout i79
At one time the Coquet was a splendid salmon and grilse river,
but now holds very few. This is not to be wondered at, as the
passage over so many high weirs prevents salmon reaching the
higher parts of the river to spawn. A sea-trout will surmount weirs
and go through difficult fish-passes where a salmon would fail. I am
at present designing fish-passes for these weirs to allow salmon to pass
up, and I hope to see the time when salmon will again be plentiful
in this river.
I have compared these so-called bull-trout with the sea-trout of
the Tay, which are never called bull-trout, and I can find no difference
except that the large ones in the Tay are better fed. They have all
the same number of scales — fourteen from the adipose fin to the lateral
line. Many of them are supposed to be crosses between a salmon and
a sea-trout, which no doubt some of them are. I give the photograph of
one which the fishermen of the Coquet thought to be a cross (Fig. i/o).
What the result of the after-cross would be I leave others to judge.
These sea-trout are distributed over the whole of Great Britain, but
are more plentiful in the Coquet and in the Tweed than in any other
river I know of. As anglers are the people who are chiefly concerned
with the life-history of the Salmonidae, there ought to be some simple
way for their determining what salmon, sea-trout, and trout are,
without having to wade through books and become more confused
than ever. Salmo salar should be called fry, parr, smolt, salmon ;
foul salmon in the spawning season, and kelt salmon after spawning.
Salmo trutta should be called fry, parr, yellow-fin, sea-trout ; and if a
further distinction is wished, grilse could be called young salmon,
and whitling young sea-trout.
In small rivers, such as the Dovey in North Wales, where salmon
have been over-netted and poached, they have decreased while the sea-
trout have increased, showing that sea-trout are more difficult to
exterminate than salmon. When on this river not long ago I found
that the belief amongst fishermen there is, that the sea-trout — Salmo
trutta — -is different from the bull-trout ; but besides sea-trout and bull-
trout they have another which they call brith dail, because it is
i So
Sea-Trout
different in colour, having red spots, and being much redder all over.
Judging from the specimens of these sea-trout which I saw, I have no
hesitation in stating that they are exactly the same as we have on the
Tay. It is thus most confusing that in almost every locality the same
fish should be called by different names, at different periods, simply
because they change their colour with the seasons. I wonder what an
FIG. 179. — Gill of a 2O-lb. Salmon which has spawned and returned as a clean fish, showing maggots on
gill, which is partly eaten away.
ornithologist would say if we called the ptarmigan white grouse in the
winter, yellow grouse in the breeding season, and grey grouse in the
autumn, simply from its colour !
The sea-trout in summer is silvery, in autumn grey with more
spots showing, and in the spawning season red. I do not think it
advisable to encourage large sea-trout in the clean state for sport-
ing purposes, for when they grow large they seldom take fly, and in
the kelt state rise freely and will take almost any bait. I attribute the
Sea -Trout
181
inferior quality of the large sea-trout to its having spawned, and the
oftener it spawns the coarser it becomes.
There is yet
another fish — the
so-called salmon
bull-trout. These
are found in all
our rivers in which
salmon are found. m&aBS£iaaa&3[: •. .- ^S&&B3S9t&?&D -
In my first edition
of this work I said
these fish grow to
as large a size as
the largest salmon.
Since then I have
had reason to alter
my views as I find
this is not the case.
Of those which
have come under
my notice the
heaviest scaled 42
Ibs. and I find very
few to attain the
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as the time occu-
pied in spawning
takes the fish away
j
from the sea where
the increase in weight takes place. They are readily distinguished from
the salmon by the number of spots appearing along their sides, and as a
Sea -Trout
rule the head is shorter and parasites are always present in their gills.
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In fact, the more spots there are on their sides the more parasites are
there in their gills, and sometimes the gills are nearly eaten away. See
Sea-Trout 183
illustration of a gill (Fig. 179), and also illustration of the difference
between a salmon (Fig. 181) and a salmon bull-trout (Fig. 180).
Occasionally one does come across a fish having spawned and returned
as a clean fish with no spots on its sides but, if the gills be inspected
parasites are always present. These fish are inferior to the salmon,
and usually bring twopence to threepence per pound less in the market.
Their flesh is often whiter and not so well flavoured. Having had
several bull-trout from the Tweed, I could discern a great difference
between them and the bull-trout of the Tay. Several years ago I drew
the attention of Sir Herbert Maxwell to them, and he was astonished to
hear that we had bull-trout up to 40 Ibs. and over. Having captured
one 42 Ibs. shortly afterwards, I sent him a photograph of it, and he
declared it to be a bull-trout. I also brought them under the notice
of Dr. Kingston Barton for examination, and he found them to be
seventeen per cent richer in fat than other salmon.
When he called one day at our fish-house, I drew his attention to
the spots on the fish, and he thought the richness of the feeding might
cause these as well as the parasites in the gills. Since then our
marking of fish on the Tay has clearly proved that the so-called bull-
trout of the Tay and many other rivers are true salmon. These bull-
trout should not, of course, be confused with the bull-trout of the
sea-trout. The former have the same number of scales from the
dead fin to the lateral line as the salmon. All the grilse kelts, small
spring fish kelts, and in fact all the kelts which we marked, were
so-called bull-trout when they returned again. I have watched
them carefully in our fish-house, and in July 1907 there were nineteen
per cent of them. (For further information see page 64.)
It is remarkable that almost all the bull-trout are females, and
this is, no doubt, accounted for by the fact that there is greater
mortality among the males during the spawning season, thus leaving
few but females to mark. From the study of these I am now con-
vinced that all fish — salmon, grilse and sea-trout — that have spawned
are inferior to fish that have not spawned. It was indeed an "eye-
opener" to me to find one of our wired smolts of 1905 return on 9th
1 84
Sea -Trout
August 1907 for the first time weighing 27 Ibs., for hitherto we
thought fish of this size
caught in the autumn
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had been in the river
before and had spawned.
Still more convincing is
the fact that we have
never captured a Tay
bull-trout that has not
spawned, clearly proving
what I have already
said. A reference to
the illustrations of the
scales will explain this
more clearly. The illus-
trations of these salmon
should also be examined
and the spots noted
(Fig. 182). These may
be from the grilse that
have spawned, from the
small spring fish, or from
the larger fish.
The largest female
I have noticed, that had
spawned, was caught
by Mr. Archibald Coats,
and weighed 39 Ibs. (see
illustration, Fig. 180 ;
also one of 42 Ibs., Fig.
182). Illustrations are
also given of the scales
of bull-trout from the grilse, from the small spring fish, and from the
larger fish (Fig. 81).
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ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING HOW TO DISTINGUISH A SALMON FROM A SEA-TROUT
BY THE SITUATION OF THE EYE
FIG. 183. — 8-lb. Male Sea-Trout or Bull-Trout. The Till. 1st August 1911.
Showing the eye above the level of the mouth. The same can be seen in the smolt stage.
— _/~ «•
FIG. 184. — i6-ll). FemaK- Salmnn. The Tay. August 1911.
Showing the eye below the level of the mouth. The same can be seen in the smolt stage.
24
1 86
Sea -Trout
FIG. 185.— 5-lb. Female Sea-Trout. The Tay. August 1911.
Showing the eye above the level of the mouth.
-gffljf?
• " " . .••*-' •-••
Fi<;. 186.— 2-lb. Brown Trout. August 1911.
Showing the eye a&ove the level of the mouth.
HABITS AND HISTORY OF THE BROWN TROUT
(Salmo fario]
To the angler the common yellow trout is by far the most im-
portant fish that swims, for more people capture it than any other
living thing. The pleasure derived from its capture, too, surpasses
that of any other sport, while interest in the study of the trout seems
to be inexhaustible. Its shape and colour are so beautiful that no
artist can reproduce them. Many naturalists maintain that there are
different species of trout in the British Islands — Loch Leven trout,
Gillaroo trout, tidal trout, and many others ; but from a close study
of all these trout for the last forty years, I have come to the conclusion
that there is only one species of trout in Great Britain, and that in
the different varieties the differences are caused by the nature of the
water in which they are found and by the food they eat. I therefore
hope that what I have to say will help to solve some of the mysteries
connected with this wonderful trout.
The spawning time of trout depends on the locality, and begins
about the i5th of October and continues till March. The spawn is
generally deposited in places where the gravel is fairly fine, and remains
there for a period according to the temperature of the water. If the
temperature averages 54° it remains thirty-two days ; if 50°, forty-seven
days ; if 43°, eighty-nine days. The fry when hatched come up through
the gravel, and like the salmon fry have a sack attached to their bodies.
This sack contains enough nourishment to sustain them for several
weeks before they are able to feed. On their beginning to do so they
grow so rapidly that if hatched on the ist of March and food is
187
1 88
Brown Trout
plentiful, they may attain a length of 6 inches by October. As
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a rule, however, they are smaller, and by the following March
do not exceed this length. During the winter months they
Brown Trout
189
FIG. 1 88. — i oz. Loch Leven.
1st February 1906.
FIG. 189. — ^ lb. Loch Leven. 22nd August 1906.
FIG. 191. — ii Ibs. Loch Leven.
25th July 1906.
FIG. 190. — | lb. Loch Leven. August 1906.
190
Brown Trout
feed very little, owing to the scarcity of food at this season. They
then hide under stones and banks, and in deep holes out of the
reach of their enemies.
When the weather becomes warm, about the beginning of April,
they leave their winter quarters and roam about in search of food.
Towards the end of April a great change comes over them — a change
almost as great as that from a parr to a
smolt. They now assume a silvery coat,
and it is difficult to tell them from the
smolt of the sea-trout. During the summer
they feed on worms, flies, larvae, beetles,
shell-fish, and many different kinds of flies
that are blown on to the loch or stream
from the land. By March of the following
year, if the feeding has been fairly good,
they will be from 8 to 9 inches long, and
will weigh about 4 oz. I have seen some,
which were kept in confinement and
regularly fed, weigh 2 Ibs. in two years.
The milder the climate the more food
there is and the trout have a longer season to feed in, con-
sequently they become larger in a shorter period. In a loch a
three-years-old trout is usually about three-quarters of a pound,
while in streams they are usually much smaller.
In quick- running streams containing little food, many, when
three years old, will not weigh more than 3 oz., showing clearly
that their size at a certain age depends chiefly on the feeding.
At four years of age they should weigh i to i^ Ibs. ; at five years,
from i^ to 2\ Ibs. ; at six years, from 2^ to 3^ Ibs. ; at seven
years, from 3^ to 5 Ibs. Only a few of them reach this size, and
they soon die off. It is only when the feeding is good that a
weight of from 3 to 5 Ibs. is attained. Trout leave the larger
rivers and run up the small ones usually about the ist of October,
and spawn, as I have said, about the i5th of October. A little
FIG. 192. — 2.\ Ibs. Loch Leven.
25th July 1906.
Brown Trout
191
frost makes them run quickly to their spawning-beds. They select a
place where the gravel is fairly fine and is not likely to shift. Here
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the female digs a hole in the gravel with her tail, striking four
or five times, and making the water dirty. Every three or four
192
Brown Trout
minutes she turns on her side with a flopping motion (Fig. 193),
and during this time deposits the spawn. The male is generally
FIG. 194. — Trout spawning-bed, showing the gravel heaped up.
beside her throughout the process of spawning, which usually occupies
from two to four days, according to the nature of the water and the
Brown Trout
193
weather. Too little water sends her off, whilst severe frost does the
same for a time.
The spawning-bed made is about 18 inches long, 12 inches wide,
and from 4 to 8 inches deep, and the gravel is heaped up in the shape
25
I94 Brown Trout
of a mole's hillock (Fig. 194). While the female is spawning the male
keeps guard, and if any intruders come up from behind, as they usually
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do, he turns round and rushes after them. Quite small trout are often
seen behind the spawning-bed picking up the spawn that remains un-
covered by the gravel. Trout after spawning become kelts (Fig. 195),
Brown Trout
195
tr.
C
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196
Brown Trout
and soon thereafter return to the main stream, where they remain in the
deep pools till March, when food is more plentiful. In April, when
the flies begin to appear — blue duns first, and then March browns—
they begin to leave the deep pools and come on to the shallow streams,
where the flies are most abundant. At this time they often run up
rivers for a considerable distance. In large streams they are generally
in the best condition about the i5th of May, while in the smaller streams
they are not in good condition till June; and, strange to say, in the
south of England, on the Itchen, trout are not in good condition until
>»*.******
i <
FIG. 198. — 3-lb. Loch Crosophuill Trout, Sutherland. June 1900.
they have had at least a week's feeding on. Mayflies, which is generally
about the first week of June.
On nearly all the northern rivers there is an abundance of
February reds, blue duns, and March browns. The March browns
are nearly as large as Mayflies, and the trout feeding on them soon
come into perfect condition. On many of the streams of the south of
England no March browns appear. This is owing to the sluggish
nature of the rivers and the want of round boulders in the bottom, of
which the larvae of the March browns are extremely fond. Their
thin flat bodies appear to be adapted for whirling round the stones,
which protect them from their enemies.
Flies bring trout into condition much quicker than the food they
obtain on the bottom. A cold, backward season keeps back the
Brown Trout
197
flies, thus preventing the trout from coming so soon into condi-
O
ON
U
a
o
tion. So much is this the case, that in a warm summer trout grow
twice as much as they clo in a cold one. The changes caused
198
Brown Trout
by feeding have misled many naturalists, leading them to believe
there are many different species of trout in this country.
o
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As I have already said, I have studied this matter very carefully,
and my experience all goes to prove that the changes are due to feeding.
Brown Trout
199
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If one wishes to have " Loch Leven trout," all he has to do is to
introduce some "burn trout' fry into Loch Leven, when they will
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very soon have the appearance of Loch Leven trout. If half of the
fry are allowed to remain and the other half transferred to a poor
Brown Trout
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hill-burn, after four years they will become "burn trout," weighing
only 2^ oz., while their brothers and sisters in Loch Leven will, after
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the same length of time, be 30 to 36 oz. in weight, and this, I maintain,
is due to the feeding. The same difference will be found in a loch.
26
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If one part of the loch is deep and another part shallow, the shallow
part will produce large trout and the deep part small trout.
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Loch Ericht at Dalwhinnie is 16 miles long, and for 12 miles it
has only shallow water for a few yards from the side ; the remainder
2os Brown Trout
being hundreds of feet deep. On these 12 miles of water the trout
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only average about five to the pound ; while at the shallow part at
the west end they are nearly three-quarters of a pound. When a
Brown Trout
209
loch is more than 12 feet deep the supply of food soon becomes
scarce and the trout small, while shallow lochs produce plenty of
food, therefore large trout.
The altitude of a loch, too, has a good deal to do with the size
of the trout. Lochs 1000 feet above sea-level, fed from snow from
surrounding hills, produce very little feeding until May, and owing
FIG. 2ii. — 19 J Ibs., Killarney. April 1907.
to the cold fall off in September, thus giving the trout only four
months of good feeding. On the other hand, lochs at or near sea-
level produce good feeding in March, and continue to do so till
October, so that the trout have seven months' good feeding, or
three months more than their Highland brethren. It will be seen,
then, that this extra time for feeding, when extended over the seven
or eight years which constitute the life of a trout, easily accounts
for the difference in size. But not only is the feeding-time shorter,
but the food is much scarcer. A loch at sea-level with water 5 to i 2
27
21O
Brown Trout
feet in depth can usually sustain about two hundred trout to the acre,
while one of the same depth at an altitude of 1000 feet will only
produce food for half that amount. The owners of lochs usually pay
far too little attention to this when stocking them, and in their manage-
ment afterwards.
Large sums of money have been spent introducing Loch Leven
FIG. 212. — 13 Ibs., Loch Kannocli. 251!! June 1906.
trout into lochs which contain small trout that are scarcely worth
catching, in the belief that the size of the trout will be improved in
this way. Instead, however, of increasing the size, those who do this
are selecting the best possible means of defeating their object. The
small size is caused by there being too many trout for the quantity
of food in the loch. Reduce the number of trout and the size will
very soon increase. This can be done by netting and curtailing the
spawning-ground, or by fishing it well. It seems rather strange that
those who have the care of lochs give them so little attention. One
Brown Trout
21 I
often hears the complaint that, although such and such a loch did
well for the first few years, it then began to decline, and the
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trout became so small that they were not worth catching. Now
this is caused by their having too much spawning-ground, and as
212
Brown Trout
a consequence, the trout became too plentiful for the quantity of
food available.
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A good example of this, although from a different cause, is found
in the case of the famous lochs at Altnacealgach in Sutherland.
Thirty years ago these contained trout six or seven to the pound,
Brown Trout
213
and at that time were seldom fished. Now that they are more
fished the trout average about two or three to the pound. Or you
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may hear another complaint that thirty years ago a certain loch con-
tained plenty of trout, and yielded fine baskets of free risers, each
Brown Trout
fish averaging i lb., but now the loch contains nothing but large trout
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of a sulky nature. In its early days sixty trout, weighing 60 Ibs.,
were often caught in a day ; but now it is most difficult to capture
Brown Trout
215
more than three trout in a clay weighing 6 Ibs. The reason of this
is not too much spawning-ground, but want of it ; and if two hundred
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yearlings are put in to the acre, the " fine baskets " of the old clays
will come back again.
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Brown Trout
When a farmer rents a piece of land for grazing he knows how
many sheep or cattle it will pasture, and that if he put on more than
the proper number they will not grow. He also knows that if he
introduce too few they will become fat and too lazy to eat up all
the pasture, and he will thus lose part of the money paid for the
pastureland. If the proprietor or the tenant of a loch would consider
the matter in the same way as the farmer, he would obtain full value
out of his lochs, be saved a deal of grumbling, and find life more
pleasant.
For years I have had the management of several lochs, and
FlG. 219. — i6-lb. Loch Rannoch Trout. May 1903.
when the trout grow too large and do not rise I introduce more trout,
and soon the large ones begin to rise more freely. If, on the other
hand, the trout are too small, I net them or deprive them of part
of the spawning-ground. In constructing new lochs one should
endeavour to have as much shallow water as possible, but not shallow
enough to allow weeds to grow in it. The best depth is from 5 to
9 feet ; beyond 1 2 feet food becomes scarce, and trout do not rise
well in deep water. Attention to those matters will ensure the
success of a loch and save much unnecessary expense.
The nature of the feeding has such an effect on the appearance of
trout that no two lochs or streams in Great Britain contain trout which
are exactly similar. My experience of hundreds of lochs and rivers
Brown Trout
217
causes me to differ from those naturalists who say that there are
many species instead of only varieties of trout. Although Loch Leven
trout are supposed to be a distinct species, I maintain that given a loch
28
218
Brown Trout
producing the same or practically the same feeding as that found in Loch
Leven little or no difference in the trout could be detected. The trout
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of Loch Slattell at Forsinard in Sutherland (Figs. 196, 197) are as nearly
alike to those of Loch Leven as any I have seen. By comparing the
Brown Trout
219
photographs of the former with those of Loch Leven it will be seen that
they are almost identical. The rich feeding in Loch Leven produces
spots on their sides. Loch Crosophuill in Sutherland contains rather
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better trout than Loch Leven, because the feeding is somewhat richer
(Figs. 198, 199, 200) ; while Loch Durness, close to Loch Crosophuill,
contains even richer trout, so rich that the spots on the sides become
22O
Brown Trout
joined together. A photograph is shown (Fig. 183) of a trout weigh-
ing 9 Ibs. which was caught in this loch ; this should be compared with
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those of the Loch Leven trout. The other varieties of trout which
are not so well fed should also be compared with these.
Brown Trout
221
Loch Gorm trout (Fig. 201), for instance, nearly all have round
black spots on their sides, and look almost like a different species.
But these spots, as before, are the result of the special feeding in
this loch. The feeding has also a great deal to do with the shape.
The richer the feeding the smaller are the heads and the plumper
the bodies. Then the nature of the soil and the colour of the water
have much to do with the colour of a trout. Clear water and a
light-coloured bottom produce silvery-coloured trout, while peat-
Photo l<y Harry Anderson.
FIG. 224. — 8-lb. Loch Veyatie Trout. June 1906.
coloured water produce dark-coloured trout. Young trout before they
spawn are brighter in colour than older trout. Trout, however, which
live in tidal water which is brackish are nevertheless silvery like sea-
trout, and present a strong contrast to Loch Leven trout. A photo-
graph of a trout from the tidal waters of the Tay is shown in Fig. 202.
The trout in Loch Harry in the Orkney Islands also frequent brackish
water, and it is difficult to tell from their appearance whether they are
sea-trout or brown trout.
Many trout become migratory because the streams frequented by
them are not large enough to afford sufficient protection, hence on
attaining a certain size they fall back into the sea. They must either
222
Brown Trout
go into brackish water or into the sea. They thus become migratory,
and may be seen in the streams during the spawning season in large
41
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numbers, many of them being 5 or 6 Ibs. in weight. When they have
spawned they return again to the sea.
Brown Trout 223
In Loch Stenness, the chief of the Orkney lochs, the water is
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always brackish, and contains many brown trout, which, owing to the
splendid feeding ground, run to a large size. The finest I have
224
Brown Trout
seen, and, I believe, the largest ever caught in this country, was sent
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to me to be set up, and three days after capture weighed 29 Ibs.
I have noticed many trout from 10 to 20 Ibs. in weight rising in
Brown Trout
225
Loch Stenness, but these large ones are very difficult to catch.
Having an opportunity of feeding all the year, they are always in good
condition, and even the kelts are handsome fish. Loch Harry, which
adjoins Loch Stenness, is also affected by high tides, and becomes
occasionally brackish. So suddenly does the salt water come on that
29
226 Brown Trout
the trout become sick and run up the streams. In July and August
many of the smaller trout leave Stenness, run up into Loch Harry,
and in both lochs are in good condition early in March.
The Gillaroo trout found in Ireland and in Scotland are con-
sidered a distinct species. But this is difficult to understand, as I
have caught many of them and, although their shape and markings
are different from those of most of the loch trout we see, the difference
is all caused by the food in the particular loch in which they are found.
If they were all cleared out and ordinary trout introduced, these latter
would become " Gillaroo " trout in a very short time. See photograph
of one from Loch Mulach-Corrie, Sutherland (Fig. 203).
THE SALMO FEROX
Many maintain that this is also a distinct species. I have
caught many of these fish in the lochs in Scotland, and have had
hundreds through my hands for preservation, therefore I have no
hesitation in stating that a ferox is only a trout Salmo fario. Its
great size is accounted for by the fact that it has become a cannibal
and lives almost entirely on its own species. I have made a point of
examining most of those I got in, nearly all of which contained from
one to three trout and nothing else. Where there are plenty of trout
to feed upon they grow so quickly that they may be 15 to 20 Ibs. in
weight in seven or eight years.
In describing the scales of trout I will try to prove their age.
Trout of many shapes and colours are found in Loch Ericht, and
when in good condition are shaped like a small salmon. In Loch
Rannoch they are thickly spotted and yellow in colour. In Loch
Awe some are silvery like a salmon ; some have short heads, others
long heads and large teeth, while no two of them are alike. For their
size they weigh much more than salmon and far surpass them in
strength. When hooked they fight to the last, often escaping after
they are in the net or on the gaff. See photographs of them from
various lochs. They are usually caught by trolling with artificial
Brown Trout
227
minnow, but the most successful bait is a small trout. It is best to
have one rod mounted with a phantom and another with a small trout
trolled between the deep and the shallow water. I have found that
they take best on a dull and fairly rough day. They are now so much
sought after, however, that a good deal of patience is required to
catch one, and blank days are the rule.
Many of the lakes in Ireland contain large ferox. A photograph
of one I got in this season is shown (Fig. 210). It weighed 19^ Ibs.,
and was a real beauty. The flesh of these large trout is usually
well coloured and almost like that of the salmon, but not so good for
the table, as it is coarse, almost like that of a bull-trout.
LOCH LEVEN TROUT
MUCH has been said and written about the Loch Leven trout, the
general belief being that it is a distinct species. Again, it is main-
tained that it is a landlocked sea-trout, but I fail to see how this can
be, because a sea-trout could not become landlocked so long as there
was an outlet of over 30 feet wide through which it could escape. Fish
have always had free access to the sea from Loch Leven, so that they
are no more landlocked than those in Loch Tay. The reason, no
doubt, for stating this is, that in 1830 the loch was reduced to about
three-fourths of its original area, but it seems to be forgotten that this
made no difference in the quantity of water flowing out of the loch.
Of course, had the fish been prevented by hecks from going down
there might have been some reason for this assertion.
I have had ample opportunity of studying Loch Leven trout, and
nothing I have noticed about them has. caused me to think they are
different from any other trout. Loch Leven trout are admitted
by all to be the finest trout in Great Britain, if not in the world,
and nowhere can they be seen to such perfection as in Loch Leven.
Loch Leven is almost round, and covers an area of 3400 acres,
in which are several islands, the largest being St. Serf's, occupying
about So acres. According to Sir John Murray and Mr. Pullar's
survey, it is 350 feet above sea-level. " The area of the bottom
between the shore and the lo-feet contour line is about 1430 acres, or
forty-two per cent of the whole area of the loch ; that between
50 and 70 feet is nearly 1 10 acres." No less than eighty-five per cent
of the bottom is covered by less than 20 feet of water.
This large extent of shallow water is the means of producing a
228
Loch Leven Trout
229
large amount of food. The loch is supplied with water by four large
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streams, the principal ones being the North Oueich, the Gairney,
the South Queich, and the Pow. Each is about 2 miles from the
230
Loch Leven Trout
other, and the outlet being at the east end, all help to keep the
loch fresh and healthy. The North Oueich and the South Queich
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enter on the west side, the Gairney on the south, while the Pow
enters on the north.
Loch Leven Trout 231
Besides these four principal streams, many other smaller streams
and springs contribute their share, and the whole uniting in one body
become the source of the river Leven. For several miles from the
outlet the river contains trout as large as there are in Loch Leven
itself; but below this the river is so much polluted with poison that
even the eel fry are killed. The chief food of the trout is the larvae
and flies of the blood-worm, which begin to appear early in April, and
are usually most numerous about the 2Oth of that month. They first
make their appearance within 2 miles of the outlet — from Duncan's
corner to the sluices ; and also in that part of the loch between the
sluices and the " Narrow Neck," including the " Hole of the Inch."
The larva of the blood-worm, which lives in the mud, is about an
inch long, blood-red in colour, and about the thickness of a stocking
needle. In April the perfect insect often retains the blood colour
of the larva. There are several varieties, but this is the principal
one. Hundreds of Loch Leven trout which I have opened from
April to September contained both larvae and flies of the blood-
worm. The larvae of this fly have the power of rising to the surface
and falling to the bottom again, and while in this state trout
devour large numbers of them. In my opinion, the most important
food of the trout in Great Britain, though little known to anglers, is
the fly and larva of the blood-worm. One can have little idea of the
immense swarms which appear on Loch Leven unless they have
personally witnessed this wonderful sight. As the season advances
more appear in the evening than during the day, and on warm nights
the surface of the water is almost covered with them, and it is then
the trout are to be seen " boiling " all over the loch.
Next in importance is the olive dun, both the fly and larva ot
which are greatly sought after by the trout. 1 1 is one of the Ephemerae,
and usually makes its appearance about the beginning of May, and con-
tinues till the middle of October. There is both a large and a small
kind. Besides the trout, gulls, terns, and swallows feed largely upon
them. The trout also obtain part of their food-supply from stone-flies,
caddis-flies, and their larvae, also a small fly, Cain, one of the smaller
232
Loch Leven Trout
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Ephemerae. At certain seasons, too, they feed on shellfish, which are
very plentiful over the whole
of the loch, and in August
they feed much on perch
fry, which then appear in
the loch.
About the middle of
September trout that are
to spawn begin to take less
food, while the younger fish
that are not to spawn feed
on until the cold weather
comes, when they also begin
to leave off feeding.
Loch Leven being at an
altitude of 350 feet above
sea-level, is pretty cold, and
in some cold seasons the
trout are not in good con-
dition till the middle of
May. June, however, is the
month in which insect life
is most prolific, and as a
consequence the trout are
then in perfect condition.
Had Loch Leven been
nearer sea-level, the trout
would have grown to a
larger size. Their limit of
size may be said to be about
3 Ibs., although frequently
trout from 3*, Ibs. to 5 Ibs.
are captured. The record for Loch Leven stands at 10 Ibs. ; and on
8th September 1911 Col. Scott, Callander, captured with fly a beauty
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Loch Leven Trout 233
of 9 Ibs. 13 oz. Such monsters are, however, rare, the great majority
dying on reaching 3 Ibs., when they will be from seven to eight
years old. A large proportion ol those on growing to 3 Ibs. fall off in
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condition, decrease in weight, and ultimately die when reduced to three-
quarters of a pound. An illustration of one is shown (Fig. 231), but
many of them are reduced even more than this one. If Loch Leven
trout have better feeding and a longer time to feed each year than
234
Loch Leven Trout
they have in their native loch, they grow to a much larger size.
When they have been transferred to New Zealand, for example,
many have reached 20 Ibs. and over.
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Those wishing to stock their rivers would do well to see that
they are supplied with genuine Loch Leven trout, for many of the
trout from hatchery establishments have short gills and deformed fins,
Loch Leven Trout
235
and are therefore not fit to stock any water. Such trout do not feed
well and remain dwarfed. The better able a trout is to swim quickly
through the water, the more food it will be able to catch.
In April, when feeding on flies, Loch Leven trout travel through
the water at the rate of about 2 miles an hour, their speed gradually
increasing till July, when it reaches about 3 miles an hour. They
travel from 6 to 18 inches under the surface, sucking clown one
fly after another, and usually heading upwind. Their habits, however,
are different in a stream. They usually choose a certain spot and
remain there, often rising for weeks at the flies floating down. This
is why dry-fly fishing is practised on streams. The angler sees a fish
rise, and casts his fly almost over the ring it made ; did he do this
on a loch the trout would be yards away by the time his fly alighted,
and would not see it.
During cold weather the trout leave the shallows and go
into deep water, where they remain during winter. When spring
comes they begin again to seek shallower water, where food is more
plentiful. Trout in Loch Leven 2^ years old usually weigh about
8 oz. ; 3^ years, i Ib. ; 4^ years, i^ to 2 Ibs. ; 5^ years, 2 to 3 Ibs. ;
5 to 7 years, 2^ to 5 Ibs. (Fig. 232). After this, as has already been
said, most of them die. The condition of the trout depends much on
the weather in April and May, and if seasonable at all are soon
in good condition ; again in a cold spring I have seen them in
better condition in the middle of April than they sometimes are in the
middle of May. These two months, however, have generally more
effect than other months in bringing trout into condition, both in Loch
Leven and other lochs as well. In Loch Leven the young trout
which have not spawned are usually about ^ Ib. in weight during
the winter, and are in much better condition than those that have
spawned and become kelts (Fig. 233), consequently it is usually
the smaller trout that come first into condition. The trout that
spawn early come into good condition much quicker than those that
spawn late, so that there are trout constantly coming into good
condition from April to the end of August. The largest ones are
236 Loch Leven Trout
usually the last to be in good condition. After the end of August
they begin to become lean and to lose colour again. When in best
condition a Loch Leven trout is generally as well coloured as a
salmon, and is as highly prized for the table. Even the pike, perch,
and eels in Loch Leven surpass all others that I have seen, thus
testifying also to the richness of the feeding. Many years ago the
loch was said to contain large char, but these are now extinct.
Besides trout and other fish, the loch also supplies food for thousands
of duck. There are tufted ducks by the thousand, and large numbers
of black-headed gulls. The latter, along with numerous swallows
which appear early in April, live principally on the flies that are bred
in the loch.
Loch Leven trout begin to spawn in October, but it is not till
about the middle of November that they do so in large numbers.
The North Queich is the earliest river, and the Pow the latest. In
the North Oueich the trout run a month earlier than those in the other
f^*S
streams. Trout remain for some time in the larger streams before
they are ready to spawn. In the smaller streams, on the other hand,
they often begin spawning the day they enter them, and return to
the loch again as soon as they have done so. The male trout run
up first.
The operation of spawning can easily be observed on the smaller
streams. A trout of 2 Ibs. weight makes a bed 10 to 15 inches long,
and from 6 to 1 2 inches deep. The female, as a rule, takes two
days to complete the process, and then falls back into the loch again,
while the males remain for several weeks. After the fry are hatched
they remain in the streams from nine months to two years before
entering the loch. Those in the streams have red spots, but after
they have been a short time in the loch the red spots disappear. This
is peculiar to Loch Leven. They then become quite silvery, and
retain their silvery coat until the spawning season arrives. As they
grow older there is more yellow in their colour.
At one time Loch Leven was netted and the fish sent to market,,
where they produced a high price, and no doubt they would sell at a.
Loch Leven Trout
237
much higher rate now. For the last thirty-five years, however, the
loch has been reserved for angling, and during that time has had
FIG. 234. — Basket of Loch Leven Trout. Loch Leven, June 1906.
many ups and clowns, success or failure depending on the number oi
pike in the loch. When these were plentiful they soon reduced the
238 Loch Leven Trout
number of trout, but now fortunately these "pests" have been
destroyed, and during this year — 1908 — the number of trout caught
has far exceeded the catch of any previous year, for over 34,000
trout were caught with the rod, and with attention and care this
famous loch is capable of yielding even a much larger annual
catch than this. When we consider the large extent of the loch-
3400 acres — we hardly think that it is too much to expect an average
of only a little more than nine trout to the acre, especially when
we have known a loch to produce fifty trout to the acre.
THE GRAYLING
THE Grayling is not so plentiful in Scotland as it is in England. It
is found in a few of the Border streams, and in the rivers Clyde and
Tweed grayling are very numerous. The farthest north river in which
it has established itself is the Isla in Perthshire. This river swarms
with them, and they are the finest grayling I have seen, the average
weight of those I have caught here being over a pound. Many of
them, however, are from i to 3 Ibs., and sometimes over. So plentiful
are they that when fishing for pike on one occasion our men brought
ashore twelve dozen in one haul of the net. No doubt, in the course
of time, this will be one of the most famous places for grayling in
Great Britain. The river is a very large one, and is in many places
from 60 to 90 yards wide. It is deep, flows smoothly, and has a
mud bottom and plenty of food which suits their taste. These
grayling were introduced at Kenmore about thirty years ago by
Lord Breadalbane. The Tay being too rapid a river, no doubt led
them to seek more suitable quarters, and some had found their way
into the quiet waters of the Isla, where they are now fairly established.
Grayling spawn about April, and are not worth catching until August
or September, although October and November are the best months.
Their flesh is white, and when in good condition is quite good for the
table. They rise freely to fly, but are more difficult to catch when in
good condition. A small dry fly is usually the most successful lure, and
in cold, frosty weather a small red worm does well. Although one may
sometimes get " here and there a lusty trout, and here and there a gray-
ling," where grayling increase in numbers trout diminish accordingly.
239
240
The Grayling
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With its large dorsal fin standing out prominently from the
centre of its back the grayling can be easily recognised from all
other fish. The mouth
is very small and speci-
ally suited for sucking up
worms, caddis larvae, and
the larvae of Ephemerae,
upon which the grayling
feeds. When in the pink
of condition, which is
usually about the middle
of October, it is a very
beautiful fish. Below the
lateral line the sides and
belly are quite silvery,
while above this it be-
comes a golden olive,
merging into a dark slate
colour on the back. The
head is also of a dark
slate colour, while an
occasional one is to be
met with having a few
dark spots near the gill-
cover. Specimens I have
had from the Itchen in
Hampshire were more
spotted and very much
coarser than our Isla gray-
ling. As the spawning
season arrives much of
the silvery appearance is
lost, and they become of a darker colour all over. Grayling, like salmon,
are very subject to disease, which carries them off in large numbers.
s
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O
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O
The Grayling
241
rn
M
THE CHAR
FROM the angler's point of view char are inferior to trout.
They are fairly well distributed over Scotland, England, and Ireland,
and are only found in lochs or lakes, except in the spawning season,
when they run up rivers to spawn. They are much more local in their
habits than trout, swimming mostly in shoals, and usually frequenting
the quietest bays in the larger lochs, while in smaller lochs they
roam over that portion where food is most abundant. They often
grow to 12 oz. or i lb., but the great majority average about
four to the pound. The largest I have seen was caught in Loch
Ericht, and weighed 2\ Ibs., although as a rule in this loch they are
seldom got over a quarter of a pound. This large one, however, may
have been a different species, as it was much lighter in colour than
the ordinary ones.
While fishing for trout in the Gaick Lochs near Kingussie I
caught many weighing from a half to three-quarters of a pound. In
Loch Tay they run about three to the pound. In the lochs at
Altnacealgach there are many small char, while in the Baden Lochs in
Sutherland they also run small. At Scourie, on the west coast of Suther-
land, again, some of the lochs contain large char. Some I caught here
and sent to the British Museum were new to natural history, and have
been named after the donor. In appearance they are somewhat like
sea-trout, being silvery and having very little red on them. The
heads are small and the bodies thick. A description of them is given
below by Mr. Tait Regan of the British Museum, who is at present
working at the British char with considerable success.
242
The Char
243
SALVELINUS MALLOCHI
Depth of body, 4! in the length ; length of head, 4! to 4! (<?) or
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4f to 4* ( 9 ) ; snout obtuse, longer than the eye, the diameter of which
is 5|- to 6 in the length of head. Interorbital region convex, its width
3 to 3? in the length of head. Dentition moderate, lower jaw a little
244
The Char
u
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shorter than the upper ; maxillary extending nearly to below the
posterior margin of eye or a
little beyond, its length 2? to
2§ in the length of head ; lower
jaw obtusely pointed anteriorly,
its length f to f of the length
of head ; 9 to 1 1 branchioste-
gals, 13 or 14 rather slender
gill-rakers on the lower part of
anterior arch, 188 to 200 scales
in a longitudinal series ; dorsal
with 10 branched rays, its
origin nearer to the top of the
snout than the base of caudal,
the longest ray J- to f the
length of head, extending |-
to § (£) or a little less than
J- ( ? ) of the distance from its
base to the base of pelvis ;
heart depth to caudal peduncle
if to 2 in its length and ^ to
| the length of head ; slate-
coloured above, whitish tinged
with orange below, numerous
pale spots covering the back
as well as the sides. Habitat,
Scourie, Sutherlandshire (see
Fig. 238).
The best time to fish for
char is on quiet evenings,
when they can sometimes be
j
seen rising to small flies. The
angler's flies should be allowed
to sink and then drawn quietly along. They readily take a small
The Char 245
white or Silver Devon. The common char is very beautiful when
H
in good condition, being of a bluish-purple colour on the back, while
its sides are of a golden tinge running into red on the belly. There
246 The Char
are red, white, and black spots along the sides as well as on the tail
and dorsal fin. The fins are reddish pink, and the outer edge is
tipped with white. Altogether it is a very beautiful fish. Little use
is made of them in Scotland, although they are excellent for the table.
At Windermere they are caught in nets, and when preserved are
sold at a higher price under the name of " Potted Char." If, how-
ever, all these pots were examined carefully, many of them would be
found to contain small trout instead of char.
At one time Loch Leven contained char of a large size, many of
them weighing 2 to 3 Ibs., but they are no longer found there. No
doubt the lowering of the loch accounts for this, as they would be
pushed on to the shallows during a storm and the wind would drive
them ashore as it does the perch. After a storm I have seen the shore
strewn for miles with perch. Char run up the rivers to spawn in
October, and the process of spawning is the same as that of the trout.
Another char, Salmo fontinalis, or American char, has been
introduced into this country during the last thirty years, but up to the
present time I do not know of any place where they have established
themselves. They seem to do so for a time in lochs, but usually
soon disappear. They are very handsome fish, and closely resemble
our own char.
THE PIKE
(Esox lucius]
THE pike is distributed over Great Britain and Ireland. Many of the
lochs and rivers in Scotland contain tine pike, but they are seldom
fished for. In England and Ireland, however, they are much more
sought after. The smaller ones weighing from 2 to 3 Ibs. are called
Jack. The spawning time comes on in March, at which time they
approach the shore and attach the spawn to reeds and branches of
trees, where it remains until hatched.
By the end of August, if the feeding is good, they are half a
pound in weight, and in another year weigh about 2 Ibs. After this,
if they can procure plenty of food, a rapid increase in weight soon
takes place. Their principal food consists of living fish that frequent
loch or stream ; nothing comes amiss, not even members of their
own species. Where trout and the young of the salmon can be
got they prefer them to any others. They will even swallow frogs,
ducks, waterhens, rats, or any other living thing that appears on
the water.
I have had occasion to net pike on the river Tay and its tributaries,
for the purpose of reducing their number, and on many occasions I
have found them stuffed full of smolts and parr. The destruction
thus caused must be very great, and when allowed to increase
in a stream or loch trout very soon disappear. In streams they
take up their abode in quiet corners, and remain perfectly still,
watching for a trout to come within reach. When it does so they
dart after it with great rapidity, and if the unfortunate trout gets
247
24s The Pike
between their jaws there is no escape. Down it goes head first, to
be followed by others as fast as captured. At night they leave
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their hiding places in the deep pools, come out on the shallows and
range about after trout, but when daylight comes, like guilty beings,
The Pike
249
they fall back again into the deeper pools. Their movements are
performed so quietly that it is difficult to know whether they are in
a pool or not. They are also very difficult to net, for if the bottom of
the river be full of mud they will sink into it and allow the net to
pass over them. If there is no mud they keep near the surface and
watch what is going on, and so keep clear of it.
Two large pike used to frequent a pool on the river Earn below
a weir, which was regularly netted, but the pike always escaped
capture. I have often watched their movements from the top of this
weir. If they were near the side I was on, and I stood opposite them,
they at once moved quietly away, keeping within a foot ot the surface
and proceeding sideways often for a distance of 60 yards. As soon
as I went, out of their sight they gradually returned to their favourite
haunts. When once disturbed they act so warily that it is very
difficult to catch them with a sweep-net. A drift or hang net left in
the water during night suits the purpose better.
During hot weather, in summer, many pike frequent shallow water
and bask in the sun. Here they can easily be shot. In lochs which
contain nothing but pike attempts to reduce their number often defeat
the end in view, for only the large ones are captured, and the small
ones are left without fear of being molested by their larger brethren.
Owing to the small price obtained for pike in the market they are not
worth keeping for profit. Those found in stagnant lochs are not
at all palatable, whereas those caught in clear lochs and rivers where
food is abundant are usually quite good. One often hears of very
large pike being caught, but as far as I can learn no pike has
been caught in this country during the last forty years whose
weight has exceeded 45 Ibs., and very few have been caught 35
Ibs. in weight.
THE PERCH
(Perca fluviatilis]
THE perch is distributed generally over Great Britain, and is a
very handsome fish. Its back is olive-coloured, the sides yellow, the
belly white, and there are six well-defined dark bands along the sides.
The dorsal fin, the chief weapon of defence, has twelve spines,
which often draw blood from the unwary angler's hand. Below this
is another dorsal fin without spines. The ventral, anal, and tail fins
are tipped with scarlet. The scales are large and hard. The gill-
cover is also hard and bony and ends in a sharp point, which is also
used in defence. The flesh of the perch is excellent.
Perch as a rule proceed in shoals and frequent quiet parts of a
river. Few are found in quick-running rivers. In many lochs they
simply swarm, and if food is plentiful,, grow to a large' size. The
largest I have ever seen came from a small loch in Cambridgeshire,
and turned the scale at 5 Ibs. In Scotland they seldom exceed 3 Ibs.
in weight, the average weight in many lochs being about i Ib.
They spawn in May and are very prolific. The ova, like that of
the pike, is attached to branches and weeds. By the middle of
August the perch fry are about an inch long and sport about in
large shoals. Trout and other fish feed much upon them, and I
have frequently caught trout whose stomachs contained many perch
fry. It is interesting to watch trout devouring these fry. One's
attention is usually drawn to them by seeing a number of terns dive
down into the loch, and on approaching the scene of action one sees
the surface of the water all eddying and swirling with trout chasing
250
The Perch 251
the fry and making such slaughter and commotion that anglers call
it " Waterloo." So numerous are they that when the angler casts
his flies among them he usually hooks two or three large trout
at the first cast, and so eager are they in pursuit of their prey that
many cause themselves to be foul-hooked. Xot only is the number
of perch reduced in this way, but vast numbers are destroyed by
storms. Shoals of them in shallow water are driven ashore during
a gale. Shortly after the great storm which blew down the Tay
Bridge I had occasion to be shooting on Loch Leven, and found the
FIG. 241.— 2-lb. Perch (Para fluviatilis). River Earn, February 1900.
shore to the width of about 100 yards, and extending for several
miles, strewn with dead perch, undeniable evidence of the destruction
caused by wind and waves. For years after this they were not nearly
so plentiful as formerly. Perch are in best condition from September
to the end of December.
The perch is not at all a shy fish, and it will take almost any bait.
A young friend of mine on one occasion when fishing for perch had
used all his worms. Tearing a strip of red wool from one of his
garments, he fastened a small piece of it to his hook and continued
to bring the perch ashore almost as frequently as he had done with
252
The Perch
the live bait. When one drops his bait among a shoal of them he
picks them out very rapidly. Proceeding in shoals they are easily
netted, and I have seen hundreds taken at one draw of the net.
The finest specimens to be got in central Scotland are caught in
Lindores Loch. I have seldom got them here less than i-i- Ibs., and
on many occasions from 2 to 3 Ibs. in weight. In the " Loch o' the
Lowes " near Dunkeld, too, are some very large perch. Large ones
are also to be found in the river Isla and the river Earn, but they are
seldom fished for. Perch thrive in stagnant water where trout could
not live.
FIG. 242. — Sea Lice. Life size.
THE TENCH
(Tinea vulgaris]
TENCH are not so widely distributed as the perch, but they are
found in many lochs. In Scotland they are difficult to catch and are
not often seen. They prefer weedy lochs to more open water.
Those that are swept from the lochs into our quick-running rivers
soon disappear. In no river that I know of in Scotland have they
established themselves. It is said that pike will not eat them.
253
254
The Tench
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THE STICKLEBACK
( Gastrosteus aculeatus]
THE illustration given (Fig. 244) is the natural size of the three-spined
stickleback. There are said to be several kinds, but the above is
the one which is most plentiful all over Scotland. Every stream,
river, and ditch contains them, and they are also got in the sea all
round our coasts. They spawn in June, but before doing so a
rough nest is made, in which the female deposits her eggs. These
are hatched in from twenty-one to twenty-five days. While the eggs
are in the nest the male becomes very brilliantly coloured. His
belly is scarlet, his sides silvery, and his back yellow and green ; the
female, on the other hand, is usually of an olive green. He then
keeps a strict watch over nest and eggs, and allows no intruder to
come near.
By December the young are about three-quarters of an inch long.
I have on many occasions kept them in a glass globe along with
minnows, but the sticklebacks always killed the latter. The usual
mode of attack was to swim close up to the minnow with fins spread
out and to dash at it sideways, using the hard spine in striking.
The minnow slipped out of reach for a moment, but the stickleback
renewed the attack in the same way three or four times, after which
the minnow fell lifeless to the bottom of the glass. The greatest
number of sticklebacks I have seen was at the outlet of Loch Leven.
Here they are drawn through the sluices, and being unable to re-enter
the loch, the water at this part literally swarms with them.
If a new loch is made or an old one enlarged these interesting
255
256
The Stickleback
little fish are soon found in great numbers in them. More especially
is this the case if the loch is understocked with trout. One loch
which I made was simply alive with sticklebacks for about 20 feet
all round, but when I introduced a few thousand trout the number
of sticklebacks was very soon reduced. Their favourite haunts are
the backwaters of streams, the sides of lochs among weeds, small
ponds, and ditches.
FIG. 244. — The Three-spined Stickleback
THE MINNOW
(Leuciscus phoxinus]
THE minnow is said to belong to the carp family. It is found
in all parts of Great Britain. They are usually from 2^ to 4 inches
•
FIG. 245. — The Minnow.
long, and where not too plentiful and lood is abundant sometimes
grow to 5 inches and weigh as much as 3 oz. In a pond near
Perth they grow to a large size and are shaped like perch. They
are found both in lochs and streams, and roam about in shoals. In
warm weather they proceed up streams for long distances, and spawn
in June. A gravelly stream is selected, where great numbers
collect together ; the stream often appearing quite black with them.
As the spawning season approaches they assume a variety of
colours. Some of them are black with white dots, others red, and
others dark olive. Before the spawning season they are usually
257 33
258 The Minnow
olive on the back, silvery on the sides, and white on the belly.
Minnows make excellent spinning bait for trout and salmon ; and
are often used alive for perch, which take them freely. During the
summer months trout make great havoc among them, as they come
on to the shallows at night and devour large numbers.
THE COMMON EEL
(Anguilla vulgaris)
THE eel has a wide distribution and, wherever there is water, is
found all over Great Britain. Some say there is more than one
species, as one has a sharp nose and another a broad nose.
Professor Grassi explains this by stating that the sharp-nosed eels
are the males and the broad-nosed ones the females and immature
males. According to Professor Grassi, the eel does not arrive at
maturity until it is five or six years old. If this is the case there must
be a very great difference in the weight of eels of the same age,
because many of them migrate when under i Ib. in weight, while
others are from i to 6 and even 8 Ibs.
The eel fisheries of Ireland are of considerable value, one bringing
a rental of over ^2000. Where food is plentiful eels grow to a large
size. In Loch Leven they often weigh 6 or 7 Ibs., and I have known
them to exceed this weight in the river Tay. If they are prevented
from going to the sea they live to a good old age. I know of one
in a small pond which looked quite 10 Ibs. ten years ago, and is
still alive and manages to frustrate all attempts to capture it. The
pond in which it lives contains small perch and the largest minnows
I have ever seen.
The eel .fry come up all our rivers in countless thousands,
distributing themselves over every stream and loch in Great Britain.
They appear in the Tay about the 2Oth of April, when both sides of
the river to the width of about 10 yards are crowded with them. In
their movement upwards on a quiet day they make a ripple like that
259
260
The Common Eel
caused by wind blowing along the surface of water. At this time
they are from 3 to 4 inches long. The
migration continues for about a fortnight,
during which nothing seems too difficult
for them to surmount. If the rush of
water is too strong for them, they wriggle
up the side among the wet grass. On
one occasion a large stone had fallen out
of the side of a bye-wash and left a
large opening, which on examination
was found to contain a living mass of
eels. I put a pitcher underneath it,
stirred up the eels, and withdrew the
pitcher full of them, while many others
made good their escape. At this time
whitling, sea-trout, and brown trout
gorge themselves with the young elvers.
After the young fry pass up (Fig.
247) older eels from 6 to 30 inches
long continue during the whole summer
to advance higher up. I have proved
this on many occasions by shutting off
the water from mill-wheels and finding
eels wriggling below in great numbers.
They run most during the night. On
the ist of August last year I had occa-
sion to watch the water passing through
a sluice at Loch More. The force of
the water was so great that the eels
were unable to push through, and at
midnight the pool below the sluice was
a seething mass of eels of all sizes up
to 30 inches long, but as soon as the sun appeared in the morning
none were to be seen, all having fallen back into the pools below.
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The Common Eel 26i
The migration to the sea usually takes place in September and
October. A dark, wet, windy night is their favourite time, when they
collect in great shoals, thousands of them sometimes crowded together.
I have often seen them during the winter come from under stones and
from holes in dykes when the water was let off mill-lades. Many of
these were 2 feet long. The eel has little difficulty in finding food, as
most larvae live under stones where the eels hide. Eels, too, are very
destructive to young salmon, for they devour large numbers from the
fry up to the smolt stage.
FIG. 247. — Young Eels. July 1909.
There is no better bait for a large eel than a parr or a smolt, and
if one is cast into a pool where there are large eels one of them soon
picks it up. I have often fished during the night with natural bait,
and if it was warm and thundery, eels were so eager to take the bait
that I have had to leave the pool I intended fishing. In Scotland eels
are allowed a free passage to and from the sea, as there are no eel
fisheries and few people try to catch them with the rod. In most, if
not all, eel fisheries they are only caught during the downward migra-
tion, but I am of opinion that if eel fishers were to try to catch them
during their upward migration a continuous supply could be obtained
from May to October. In all our large estuaries swarms of eels
could be found during the summer months, for they are constantly
running up. It seems to me that, besides the migration of the elvers,
there is a continual migration inland of eels of a larger size, which
swim along the bottom and across the whole width of the river, and
262
The Common Eel
on this account escape detection. This is certainly a matter well
worth investigating.
To catch the eels on their downward course and allow them to
escape on their upward is not a wise procedure, for by the time they
are going seawards they have done all the damage they can do,
while if caught on their upward progress a marketable size two or
three years old could be got. This arrangement would prevent an
enormous destruction of salmon fry, for I consider the eel by far the
greatest enemy that salmon and trout have. The young of the salmon
hide under stones during the winter, and an eel after a fish is like a
ferret after a rabbit — it can not only go wherever a trout can go, but
its body remains concealed under a stone, with only its mouth and its
eyes exposed to view. There he lies in wait for any living thing that
comes near him.
Not until April 1906 was it known where eels spawned. Professor
Grassi, of Rome, discovered the breeding-ground to be out in the
Atlantic Ocean from Norway, Denmark, France, and Spain, in some
parts 1000 miles from shore, at a depth of 560 fathoms, with the
eel larvae 50 to 100 fathoms overlying this depth. The generic
name " Leptocephalus " was applied to the eel larvae before their
history was known.
The Leptocephalus develops from the egg, grows to the length
of about 3 inches, then ceases to feed until the metamorphosis
is complete and the little fish has become an elver. These larvae
have perfectly clear ribbonlike bodies, which are as transparent as
glass, and free from colouring, except in the case of the eyes, which are
black. Their length is about 3 inches and their breadth three-eighths.
The metamorphosis takes place in four stages, and when complete
the length is reduced to about 2^- inches, and the width to a little more
than one-eighth. When in the sea they are known as glass elvers,
but on arriving in fresh water pigment is developed in the skin and
they are now known as elvers. The times of migration to our shores
vary very much. In some localities it takes place in December, and
in others not till April. In the Shannon district it is as early as
The Common Eel 263
January, while in the Tay district it is about the 2Oth of April. On
1 2th June 1909 I saw large numbers of eel fry running up the Tay
and side streams, which run lasted well into October. I also noticed
them running up the river Allan, a tributary of the Forth, during
November. The Forth District Fishery Board have lately erected a
fish-pass here, and during a recent visit I found the river in flood.
Owing to a part between the fish-pass and the existing bank of the river
not having been properly filled in, hundreds of eels got up into this
and could proceed no farther. The superintendent and I measured a
number and found them to be about 9 inches in length. There is
little doubt that this is the average length attained during their first
season. Of course there may have been others of a larger size
lurking in the pools below, waiting for more favourable conditions, but
none came under our notice.
RAINBOW TROUT
(Sal)no iridens]
THESE trout were introduced into this country from America over
twenty years ago. As time went on they were thought to be much
superior to the fario as sporting fish. They may be so in their own
country, but our climate does not seem to suit them. In a few English
rivers they have done fairly well, as also in Blagdon Lake. If left
to themselves for a year or two, however, I think they would all
disappear. I have had ten years' experience of them in Scotland, and
have introduced them into many lochs. They did well for three or
four years and weighed about i^ Ibs. ; but after that we saw few
of them. Some of them spawned, but never in sufficient numbers to
establish themselves.
Great care must be taken when introducing rainbow trout into
a new loch, as most will make good their escape in a few days unless
prevented from so doing by means of a heck or other obstacle. They
also appear to have excellent memories, for if once hooked and
returned to the water you seldom get a second chance of hooking
him. Another drawback is that they spawn in April and May, and
are not worth catching until well on in the season. It is therefore
not advisable to have trout and rainbow trout together in the same
loch. The best way to do with rainbow trout is to stock a loch with
two-year-olds, and fish for them the following year. If the feeding
is good, three-year-old fish should be from i to i^ or even 2 Ibs. in
weight. In reservoirs where they cannot get out they grow to a
large size ; we have some here from 7 to 10 Ibs. When in proper
condition they are very good for the table.
264
Rainbow Trout
265
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266 Rainbow Trout
Rainbow trout are so named because the colours of their sides
resemble those of a rainbow. They can be easily distinguished from
a trout, both by their colour and the greater number of spots (see
Fig. 249). In New Zealand, where they have rich feeding, they grow
to over 20 Ibs. and rise to fly. It is strange, however, that in this
country when they become 2 Ibs. or more in weight they seldom rise
to a fly. When hooked they jump out of the water like sea-trout,
and fight well to the last.
Rainbow Trout
267
:-.v^..^ ,.','?*• .vv^j-.;^.^-v.>..v.^»v.' -si^P^
^* •'•••'• ''•• '- '- ' - • •
FIG. 249. — 2-lb. Rainbow Trout, four years old, caught at Bnttleby Loch. August 1904.
FIG. 250. — i-lb. Rainbow Trout, two years old. Loch Dupplin. May 1904.
268
Monstrosities
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MONSTROSITIES
ONE'S curiosity is often excited by the capture of a deformed fish.
The causes of malformation are not well known, and are difficult to
FIG. 252. — i-lb. Deformed Trout, caught in Loch Clashfern, Sutherland. July 1904.
account for. I show photographs of a few of those I have seen.
I am of opinion that many of these malformations are caused by
starvation. Lochs that are overstocked and in which the spawning-
ground becomes too prolific, and lochs in which the trout are in poor
condition and do not grow to more than 3 or 4 oz., contain many
deformed trout.
In Loch Clashfern in Sutherlandshire I have captured three or
four monstrosities in one day. Many deformed trout may also be seen
coming from the hatcheries, having double heads, deformed heads, de-
fective fins, and short gills. These defects, of course, have an injurious
269
270
Monstrosities
FIG. 253. — i|-lb. Deformed Sea-Trout, caught in the Tay. July 1907.
FIG. 254. — Deformed Trout, caught in the Tay. May 1904.
Monstrosities
271
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effect on the growth of the fish all through its life. In hatcheries
overcrowding would seem to be the cause of these malformations.
Deformed trout, however, are also found in rivers and lochs where
overcrowding is impossible and food plentiful, so that deformities may
be due to other causes, such as injury to the eggs or fry (see Fig. 251).
Many deformed trout are found similar to this (see Fig. 252). Such
deformity could scarcely be caused by injury to the eggs or fry. It
points more to want of development, and very likely the parent would
FIG. 260. — 2-lb. Deformed Trout, caught in Loch Dupplin. December 1907.
have a similar short head. The twisted backs may be caused by a
weak spine. There are fewer deformities among salmon and sea-
trout than among trout. Perhaps they may not be able to survive
in the sea, and die off. Hundreds of salmon are found with so great
gashes in them, made by seals and other enemies, that it is a wonder
they manage to live. These injuries often heal up, but one can always
note their effect on the fish, as they retard growth, causing them
to become thin and of inferior condition. Many monstrosities are seen
in the salmon hatcheries. Some of them have two heads, while some-
times two are joined together, as we occasionally see in the case of
beasts and birds. As a rule these fish die when about six weeks old.
When deformed fish are discovered they should be destroyed.
HYBRIDS
THERE is not the least doubt that in nature many hybrids are to
be found. Sea-trout may often be seen spawning with grilse, and
FIG. 261. — i-lb. Zebra, cross between American Char and Loch Leven Trout.
trout with sea-trout. These being so much alike, it would be almost
impossible to tell whether the offspring were crosses or not. Sir
James Maitland carried out many experiments at his Howieton
Fisheries in crossing brown trout with salmon, char with salmon parr,
American char with Loch Leven trout. The latter cross he called a
"zebra." See illustration of one bred in Howieton Fisheries (Fig.
261). This fish was light scarlet on the belly and had peculiar mark-
ings along the side, as shown in the photograph. For a description
of these experiments I refer the reader to Day s British and Irish
Salmonidcz. If these experiments have clone nothing to improve the
breed of fish, they have at least proved that crossing is possible.
276
VENDACE
(Coregonus vandesius]
THIS fish is only found in Loch Maben, Dumfriesshire, and is said
to be so delicate that it dies as soon as taken from the water, and
cannot be transferred to any other loch. No angler has yet been
able to catch one with a hook, and they are usually caught with a
sweep-net. The flesh of the vendace is considered a great delicacy,
so great that many years ago a number of gentlemen arranged to
meet and " feast " on what were caught. It is not known whether all
the vendace in the loch were eaten up or not, but no such " feast " has
again been held. These fish are now so very scarce that it was with
difficulty I obtained the specimen illustrated on page 278. This
specimen is now in the British Museum. It measured 7^- inches in
length, which is much above the average size. The colour of the
back is light green, while the sides are silvery white. The tail is well
forked, and the dorsal, pectoral, and anal fins are long and pointed,
thus giving the fish greater power in swimming through the water.
Perhaps the reason for their not taking a bait is that they only feed
on minute Crustacea or daphnise, which are inhaled along with the
water while breathing.
277
2 78
Vendace
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GWYNIAD
THIS is another fish very like the vendace, and is found in England
and Wales. Some of the lakes in Cumberland contain them. The
specimens I have seen from Derwentwater average about 8 inches
long. Mr. Tait Regan of the British Museum mentions this fish as
being closely allied to the vendace of Loch Maben, although it
is by no means identical. From the photographs, however, it would
be difficult to tell the one from the other. The colour and shape are
like those of the vendace, and the fins of both are also alike. They
are seldom caught with a hook, and little is known about them.
279
280
Gwyniad
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THE POWAN OF LOCH LOMOND
( Coregonus clupeoides)
POWAN are found in large numbers in Loch Lomond, and are said to
attain to the weight of 2 Ibs. None of the specimens I have seen,
however, weighed more than i Ib. The powan is a beautiful fish.
The head and back are light olive brown, and the fins light slate
colour. The scales above the lateral line are well defined in eight
rows, while below the lateral line to the anal fin there are also eight
well-defined rows. The scales are silvery like those of a grayling,
and the belly is white and covered with scales. The eyes are very
large, and the upper edge is on a level with the head. The centre of
the eye is black and is surrounded by silver, wrhile the side of the head
is like burnished silver intermingled writh irradiating pink colour. The
number of rays on the fins are as follows : the dorsal eleven ; the
second none ; the pectoral seventeen ; the anal ten ; the ventral ten ;
the caudal twenty. The specimen figured was 12 inches long, and
weighed three-quarters of a pound. Like all the others I examined,
its stomach was full of daphnise. This is their principal food, although
I have occasionally found them to feed on the larvse of the blood-
worm. The scales are like those of the salmon, except that the rings
continue right round. The rings are well defined, showing that the
feeding has been rich. From the number of rings I make the age
of the specimen shown to be four years.
Powan are rather coarse for the table. Large numbers are
netted in Loch Lomond and sent to the markets, and occasionally
they are caught by the angler. Loch Lomond is of vast size, 24 miles
281
282
The Powan of Loch Lomond
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The Powan of Loch Lomond
283
long by 5 miles wide at its greatest breadth, and contains twenty-four
islands, some of which are very large. It is thus a perfect breeding-
place for Crustacea, and there being so little run on the loch, they are
not carried away. In this respect it resembles a town's reservoir with
screens at the outlet so fine that daphnise cannot pass through,
with the result that inside the reservoir is a mass of insect life, and
trout brought among them have only to open and close their mouths
to get enough food to sustain them and make them grow to a large
size. See photograph of daphnise taken from the stomach of a powan
(Fig. 266).
FIG. 266. — Daphniit, life size.
THE FLOUNDER
(Pleuronectes ftcsns]
THE freshwater flounder or fluke inhabits all the rivers in Great
Britain except those that have barriers or those into which it has
not been introduced. The usual barriers which prevent their ascent
are waterfalls, weirs, and strong currents. The shape of the flounder
makes it ill-adapted for surmounting obstacles. The moment they
rise from the bottom of the stream the rushing water takes hold of
them, and they are washed down. I have never seen flounders in
rivers that have weirs with a gradient of one in twelve. The greatest
number are found in estuaries of rivers and in lochs. The flounder
is not at all particular as to what it eats, and can be caught with
almost any bait. In fresh water they are usually caught with worm.
Salmon net-fishers catch them all day long, the greatest number in
the rising tide. The eyes are very large and are placed on the right
side. The belly also is on the right side, which is peculiar.
Once when catching flounders in the river Tay a wag asked me
if those I had were Tay flounders or Earn flounders. After looking
at them he said they were all Tay flounders, because their eyes were
all on the right side ; therefore, on ascending from the sea, they could
not see the Earn, as the latter joined the Tay on their left. The
eyes placed in this position enable the fish to see all round it, even
when flat on the ground. The eyes enable it, also, to change its
colour according to the nature of the soil it is resting on. This
changing of colour goes on continually from dark to light, and
from light to dark, all " in the twinkling of an eye." When the fish
284
The Flounder
285
moves from the dark to the light the eye conveys the impression to
the brain, which in turn sends it on to the cells all over the back, and
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these open or close to make the back the same colour as the ground on
which the fish is resting. This changing of colour continues for a time
after the fish is dead, and may be seen by removing the fish from a
286
The Flounder
light-coloured place to a dark. This provisionof nature prevents its being
detected by enemies, and, no doubt, saves its life on many occasions.
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The tins of the flounder are also peculiar. The dorsal fin extends
from head to tail on the left side, and increases in breadth to the
middle, and tapers down again to the tail. It has fifty-five rays. The
The Flounder 287
anal fin, which commences below the ventral fin, is also broader at the
centre of the body, and has thirty-eight rays. The pectoral fin has
nine rays on the upper and nine on the under side. The ventral fin
has six, and the caudal fifteen rays. In rivers flounders are seldom
caught over i|- Ibs. In Loch Speggie in Shetland I have caught
them over 2 Ibs., while in the sea they grow to a larger size. They
are quite good for the table. Occasionally flounders are found with
their eyes and belly on the left side instead of the right.
ALLIS SHAD
(Clupea alosa]
THE allis shad is found in a number of rivers during the spawning
season, which occurs in June and July. This fish is not so well known
in Scotland as it is in England. A fair number are caught by the
nets on the Tay, and those I have examined have invariably been
filled with spawn. The average weight of those that have come
under my notice was about 5 Ibs. It is a short thick fish about 20
inches in length. The dorsal fin, consisting of sixteen rays, is very
small for the size of such a fish, and the tail is very much forked.
The tail has twenty-five rays, pectoral fin fourteen, ventral fourteen,
and the dorsal eight.
Characteristic of this fish is the colouring. The back is of a light
slate colour merging into a bright silver on the sides and becoming
quite white on the belly. The latter is covered with strong scales,
which run along the under part from head to tail in a well-defined
ridge. Between the ventral fin and the tail are fourteen strong spines,
which no doubt is the principal weapon of defence. The mouth and
head are very large and broad, whilst the eyes have a large black
centre surrounded by a golden colour on the outer edge. On opening
the mouth one is struck with the beautiful way the gills are arranged.
From the latter numerous branches point outwards almost to the
exterior, and are arranged in sets. The first set is quite i^ inches
long, consisting of 120 branches closely set together. Following this
again comes the second set, which are shorter, diminishing to about an
eighth of an inch into the throat, where the upper and lower sets
288
Allis Shad
289
rt
\
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VO
290
Allis Shad
come close together, forming a complete sieve. If reference be made
to the illustration one has a better idea of this beautiful construction
(Fig. 270).
There is yet another shad, known as the twait shad, which can be
identified from the allis shad by its having six to eight spots on its
sides, whilst the former has only one behind the gills. In addition
to the shads, the smelt and sturgeon invade our fresh waters.
FIG. 270. — Mouth of Shad.
THE LOACH
(Nemachilus barbaiulus)
THE loach is common to the rivers of the United Kingdom, inhabit-
ing those of a slow-running nature. They invariably seek shelter
FIG. 271. — The Loach.
under some flat stone, only to fall a prey at the hands of some youth
expert in the art of "guddling." It is said to be good eating, but I
have never known it to be eaten by Scotch people. Loach take
worm freely, but are of no sporting value, as they are so small, being
on an average from 3 to at most 5 inches in length. The colour
is usually olive with dark blotches ; the tail and dorsal fins are
mottled much like the markings on a feather. In Ireland they
are frequently used as a spinning bait for salmon and trout, as they are
much tougher and stand more knocking about than the much-used
minnow.
291
THE LAMPREY
( Petromyzon m a rin us )
IN May and June the lamprey ascends our rivers to spawn. A
number of these are frequently caught in the salmon fishers' nets
Fin. 272. — Mouth of a Lamprey, showing the sucker and teeth. Half life size.
on the Tay, and are mostly from 24 to 30 inches in length, and
weigh from 2 to 3 Ibs. They are more plentiful in England than
in Scotland, and are caught for the market. The colour is bluish-
green with brown blotches, merging into an orange colour on the
belly.
The lamprey has a very characteristic mouth. When opened to
its fullest extent it is quite round and has the tongue well armed with
numerous teeth (see Fig. 272, which gives a very clear representa-
292
The Lamprey
293
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294 The Lamprey
tion of this formidable mouth). The outer part of the mouth
is encircled by a strong band of skin, and the whole forms a most
perfect sucker, by means of which the lamprey attaches itself to
some stone or iish. If the latter, then it runs a great risk
of losing its life. The lamprey once fixed to its prey, begins its
deadly quest ; the outer strong edge remains stationary, whilst the
teeth commence to move and cut up the flesh, and ultimately gouge
out a deep hole in its victim. The salmon appears to be a favourite
with the lamprey, judging by the number that have come under
my notice marked in this fashion. Fig. 2/4 shows a sea-trout
marked by a lamprey. Occasionally they are brought ashore by
the nets, firmly fixed to a salmon, and only desist when they see
they run the risk of being caught. I feel sure that many salmon
are killed by the wounds inflicted by this gnawing creature.
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