The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-29
HABITS OF THE SALMON.
LOVERS OF FRESH WATER THAT
GO TO SEA TO GROW.


when in the Salt Water.
From the Portland Oregonian.
Most people on the Pacific coast recog-
nize the edible qualities OF the salmon, but
know very little about its true life history.
This same ignorance prevailed in Great
Britain until about the middle of this CEN
fury. In lS4S Andrew Young of Invershin,
sutherlandehire, Scotland manager Of the
Duke of suthorland's salmon fishings, was
one OF the first careful observers who gave
the public any reliable facts concerning
the life habits of the salmon. He was fol-
lowed In these Investigations by Egerton
Han, who made a very careful and ex-
tensive study of this fish at Oughterard, in
Galway ireland. In 1854 Robert Ramsbot-
tom Of Clitheroe. England, gave the public
some most interesting facts on the propa-
cation and annual migrations Of the sal
mou The information to be gathered
from these noted ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS would
be interesting and useful to many on this
coast, especially to those who desire to
foster the interests of our salmon fisher
les
1t is not necessary TO describe the artih-
cial propagation of salmon, as this bust
ness IS now so well understood, and most
sxillfuly practiced in this country. 1t is
more in reference to the growth and
habits of a salmon from its infancy and
life in the fresh and salt waters that the
public will be interested
The salmon in Europe and the world
over is essentially a fresh-Water nsh
three-fourths of its life being spent In the
rivers from it's birth. Its migrations TO
the sea are solely for its growth and feed
ing, after reaching the adult period OF Ns
life After IL has escaped from lts egg
form. its attached food or nurse-bag sup
plies 1t with all the nourishment 1t re
quires for an average period of about five
weeks, but this period is governed by tenn
perature of the water; in warmer waters
Il Is sometimes only thirty days, and IN
colder waters forty days After this sell
nursing period the bag is ABSORBED, ana the
frv begin to feed from the mouth, and in
about sixty days it has grown to lenglh
of about one and one-half inches, or dou-
BILE the size it was when Matched The
pink spots and the dark transverse bars
on the sides (Which distinguish the young
salmon from the trout species) are then
visible. The growth is then comparative
" slow: at six months old it is only about
three inches in length and at twelve
months four inches is the average size.
During the whole of this period these
young salmon are seldom seen by man, as
they are very shy and secretive in their
habits, and, as a rule, do not rise to the
fly until they are about fourteen months
old. During this period they are known
as "penk" in England, "parr'' in Scotland
and lingering in Ireland.
salmon Vary in Size.
Though the aforementioned measure
ments give the average observed size or
the salmon fry, there are many which vary
In size. some being larger and some small
err than the average size; and 1t has been
well ascertained that this difference in size
extends throughout the life of each fish,
and this accounts, in great measure for
the difference found in the size of the fish
in their annual runs from the sea. IL has
been proved beyond any doubt that the
Young salmon remain in the rivers about
two years from the time they are Matched
ia the nertod at which they change to their
silvery coating, when they are known as
"smolts." and it is then they commence
their first migration to the sea. At this
neriOd they do not much exceed, on the
average. two ounces in weight and seven
inches in length. This first migration 10
the sea generally takes place in April,
though in some cases the "smoits' are
ready as early as January, and some as
late as June; this difference being due TO
the long spawning season, which in some
rivers commences in September and eX-
tends TO March Although the smolt has
assumed it's silvery coat, and the pink
spots and transverse bars have thereby
been covered over. yet by scraping off the
scales from the sides the bars can be clear
Ey seen; thus proving the identity OF the
species.
Previous to the change from the infant
stage to the silvery smolt the young sal
mon is always solitary in its habits, but
after its change it becomes gregarious, and
descends the rivers in shoals to the sea.
These shoals in their progress down the
river progress at about two miles an hour.
In passing through rapids they invariably
turn their heads up stream, and when they
reach smooth water, they again turn their
heads seward. AT this season of migra-
ton of the smolts there are always three
generations of salmon in the river al the
same time: a the smolt, C) the parr, CD
the young fry just Matched.
The migratory shoal of smolts remains
for short time in the brackish water of
the tideway to get seasoned to the change
before entering the sea. 1t is in their
marine feeding ground that they commence
their marveiously rapid growth. The av-
erage sotourn of the smolt in the sea is
only from eight to ten weeks; ii then
makes its first return to the river of its
birth. and is then known as the "grilse."
The grilse varies in size considerably,
some being not more than one pound in
weight. and some as much as fourteen
pounds This great variation is probably
due to the size of the parent FISH in large
rivers, and to the longer stay some make
in The sea, and also TO the greater supply
of rich food found there.
Most of the grilse ascend the rivers in
June and July, though some ascend in
March and April. owing 10 their earlier
descent upon the sea. This first return
from the sea is subject to the volume of
water in the respective river homes. The
physical difference between the grilse and
the salmon, or mature fish, is shown by
the following features: The tail of the
griise is always forked, that of the salmon
Is straight. the scales of the grilse are
smaller. and the fins are longer and lar
ger in proportion to the body; they return
to the sea before the salmon; they remain
longer there than they do on their first
migration. The grilse remain in the river