The Yale expositor., 1909-10-29

WMI SO greatly impressed and
w w inspired by the spectacle oi
the spider accomplishing
after very many efforts
that task which 1t was unable to do al
first, we find ourselves beginning to
wonder whether It had ever happened
to that royal fugitive to see salmon
or sea-trout leaping at fall. There
is no doubt whatever that in his jour
Deyings by flood and field this is a
sight that must have often met his
eyes. Perhaps il was really too ia
miiiar to strike his spirit as the
spider struck ito great issues. This
leaping of the anadromous fishes at a
fall is at once an exhibition of the
most monumental perseverance and
also of the most wonderful achieve
ment of muscle that we are able to
see. You may watch little fish. like
the grilse in the the picture, leaping
sheer over the height of man, hang
Ing there a moment in the down-rush-
ing water, with tail quivering after
the amazing effort that has provided
all the impetus. then swept down
again, like helpless mass of fotsam.
into the turmoil of water below. 1t is
not until you begin to regard that
turmoil that you realize half the won
der of 1t. This leap. or goodness only
can tell exactly how many times of it's
own height. would be a wonder even
If it were taken from a favorable, or
at least firm. leaping board. In
stead, it is taken from that mass of
fluid sliding. rushing in a direction
contrary to that in which the leap has
to be made. Recognizing that, the
wonder becomes little less than a
miracle. If it were not done, we
should say it was an .impossibility
Closely watching, as far as we can
the preparations of the fish for the
leap. we may see that it takes what
we should call a long run, allows it.
self to be carried some distance down
stream before repeating the attempt
and, when il essays the jump. comes
TO it almost vertically up through the
water, cleaving the foam at the falls
foot This action has led some to
think that the fish does not, in fact,
have such bad take off, as appears
for it is argued that there is a back
rush. underneath the surface move
ment of the stream towards the foot
of the fall, and that the fish takes ad-
vantage Of this TO get up its impetus
for the final vertical effort The fish
shown in the picture are grilse, and
the grilse, for their size, are. perhaps,
the most active of all, as it is right
that they should be. seeing that they
are at the young and athletic age;
but the sight is hardly as impressive
as that of big salmon jumping.
II we can turn our thoughts from
the wonder of the power which the
fish shows in this leap, we must direct
them on its untiring persistency. The
pertinacity with which il is borne
down. time after time, and returns to
the charge. recalls the pathetic story
of Sisyphus with his stone. On many
rivers we know that the salmon's task
is really as unending as that of Sissy.
phus himself. The purpose of the fish
in attempting the ascent is. ii need
hardly be said, TO get up to the grav.
ely reaches, probably nearer the
sources of the big river or on some
of it's tributaries. where their ova
may develop safely; and in all likeIi-
hood. though the story of their life
has never been fully told. these are
fish striving 60 return to the nurseries
in which they were themselves reared
There are. however. certain falls on
certain rivers which fish are now un-
able to ascend. or are able to do so
only in such big spates as occur at
very infrequent intervals It may be
that several years will elapse before
the river is raised TO such a height as
will allow the fish TO pass the fall.
This may be owing to the natural
changes produced by the action of the
water on the rock In heightening the
fall, making Is sleeper. or taking away
the steps or landings, so to- call them,
which used TO help the ascent, or II
may be due TO mans action in alb
stracting water by surface drainage or
for use in his houses. In such a case
as this the salmon never will sur
mount the fall. end Il is evident that
the natural result. IN course of time,
must be the gradual depletion of the
river of its fish. Meantime such fish
as may survive will continue their
brave efforts with a perseverance
which wins our admiration. though
true understanding of their psychology
must. perhaps. convince us that II Is
without moral value. being merely a