# 9 Completing the Life Cycle

On the trip home, the male salmon stays with his mate. They travel north together for thousands of miles. They jump the same rapids. They hurdle the same waterfalls. When she builds a new nest, he protects it. Other females are looking for a nesting spot. But the male keeps them away.

The female doesn't rest. She hovers over the nest. She contracts. The eggs come out. Dozens at a time form a stream. The nest is quickly covered by about 10,000 eggs. Also quickly, the male darts over the eggs. He gives off a milky mist called milk. This milk fertilizes the eggs.

Then a strange thing happens. The parents don't stay around. They're exhausted. They relax. They let themselves float downstream. Soon they die and are washed ashore. But this is not a waste. Hungry bears already line the shore. They eat and get fatter and fatter. Soon they will be ready for their winter's sleep.

What about the eggs? They will lay in the nest for about 2½ months. About that time, there will be a wiggle in the eggs. Then the young, called fry burst forth. Each fry now has a yolk sac under its chin. This sac provides food. Now the fry hide among the reeds and weeds. They feed off the sac for a few weeks. Then, after about ten weeks, they look like fish. They stay in the fresh water a few months longer. Then the strong urge comes. The salmon are vigorous and lively. They are five inches long now. They are ready to leave the friendly fresh water. Its taste and smell will stay in their brains. The memories will be there for the salmon's whole life cycle. They will be there until the salmon becomes food for the bears lined up on the shore.

# 9 完成生命週期

在回家的旅程中，雄鮭魚與它的伴侶待在一起。牠們一起向北旅行數千英里。牠們跳過相同的急流。牠們越過相同的瀑布。當雌魚建造新巢時，雄魚保護它。其他雌魚正在尋找築巢地點。但雄魚會阻止牠們靠近。

雌魚不休息。牠在巢上盤旋。牠收縮身體。魚卵出來了。一次幾十顆形成一股水流。巢穴很快被大約10,000顆卵覆蓋。同樣迅速地，雄魚衝到卵上方。牠釋放出一種稱為精液的乳白色霧狀物。這種精液使卵受精。

然後奇怪的事情發生了。親魚不會留在附近。牠們筋疲力盡。牠們放鬆下來。讓自己順流而下。很快牠們就死亡並被沖上岸。但這並非浪費。飢餓的熊已經在岸邊排隊。牠們吃東西，變得越來越胖。很快牠們就準備好進行冬眠。

那卵呢？牠們將在巢中待約兩個半月。大約在那個時候，卵裡會有扭動。然後被稱為魚苗的幼體破卵而出。每條魚苗現在下巴下面都有一個卵黃囊。這個囊提供食物。現在魚苗隱藏在蘆葦和雜草中。牠們靠卵黃囊進食幾週。然後，大約十週後，牠們看起來像魚了。牠們在淡水中再待幾個月。然後強烈的衝動來臨。鮭魚充滿活力和生氣。牠們現在有五英寸長。準備離開友善的淡水。它的味道和氣味將留在牠們的腦海中。這些記憶將伴隨鮭魚的整個生命週期。直到鮭魚成為岸邊排隊的熊的食物。