SMOLTS 29 



In 1904 in the lower Tay I tried a simple piece of 

 silver wire passed through the skin of the back close 

 to the adipose fin, but the wire chosen was rather 

 heavy. In the following year, however, Mr. Malloch, 

 Perth, tried a finer silver wire, inserting it through 

 the front of the dorsal fin and twisting it into a 

 simple loop, and this was found to answer very well. 

 From the commencement at Fochabers very great 

 advantage had been experienced in not handling the 

 smolts, but in using small vulcanite tubes for holding 

 the fish when inserting the marks. By using these 

 holders complete freedom from injury to the delicate 

 little fish through handling was secured. Under 

 Mr. Malloch's supervision, therefore, in 1905, the Tay 

 Salmon Fisheries Company undertook the marking, 

 and Mr. McNicol, who carried through the actual 

 operation, succeeded in inserting the wire loops in 

 6500 smolts. The admirable results which have 

 followed will be related in next chapter. 



