482 Dr KNOX on the Natural History of 



Hot said how, but it matters not), and after being, according to all 

 accounts, rather roughly handled, and even mutilated by the am- 

 putation of a firt, replaced in water, and arriving at mature years 

 as full grown salmon; we are, we repeat, lost in wonder at 

 the amazing contradictions between such observations and those 

 we have personally made, observing every possible care. We 

 learned at this time that an attempt had been made some years 

 before, to remove salmon-smolts from these rivers, with a view 

 to the stocking of a pond, about six miles from the banks of the 

 river ; and though the ample fortune of the noble proprietor 

 enabled him to make the experiment on an extensive scale, by 

 removing smolts considerably grown, in large buckets of fresh 

 water, and that water constantly renewed, carried also on men's 

 shoulders, that the shock sustained might be as little as possible ; 

 the result was, as we have every reason to believe, an entire fail- 

 ure. It is possible, however, that localities still more favourable 

 may have given a different result to the experiments of others. 



On the 5th May 1832> the same rivers were again fished. 

 Smolts still abounded, notwithstanding considerable rains had fal- 

 len, followed by a high flood of the river ; but they had undoubt- 

 edly descended the river about two miles and half, i. e. to deeper 

 water, so that near the spawning ground few or none were to be 

 found ; whereas trout, not however in good condition, abounded. 

 These smolts were generally about the same size as those taken 

 on the 1st of the month, and I doubt not belonged to a later 

 set. 



As the observations now detailed were made on rivers join- 

 ing the Tweed from the north, and on rivers whose course was 

 much interrupted by wears and other impediments, to the as- 

 cent of the salmon upwards, and the escape of the fry from the 

 tributary streams to the Tweed, it was thought right to change 

 the site of observation, and observe for a few days the state of 

 some salmon streams joining Tweed from the south. This was 



