t54 tn Saimon-Prt/. 



sea. It probably never exceeds nine, but averages only stjjf 

 inches in length. Though every tvhere the same precise 

 epccies, its dubiou:? history has assigned it a number of 

 provincial nan)es. In Scotland they are called par^, iri 

 CuniberUnd bremliusi in Northumberland Wrack-riders 

 (Irpni their lying on the wrack or river ueed), in the Se* 

 :Vf rn ^o?n$OHSf and in the Wye .skir lings Or lasprings, 



Mr. Pennant, whose industrious research after iatts has 

 fo seldom been equalled, in cond)ating the notion oi" their 

 being Sfihnon-fry makes the following observations : '* The 

 samlet is the least of the trout kind. It is by several \w?t^ 

 gined to be the fry of the salmon : but our reasons for dis- 

 senting from that opinion are thege. First, it is well knowfi 

 that the salmon-fry never continue in fresh water t'tie whole- 

 year : but, as nnmerous as they appear on their first escape' 

 from the spawn, all vanish on the first vernal flood that 

 happens, which sweeps them into the sea, and scarce leaves 

 one behind. Secondly, the growth of the salmon-fry is 

 so quick and so considerable as suddenly to exceed the bulk 

 of the largest samlet: for example, the fry that have quitted 

 the fresh water, in the spring, not larger than gudgeons^ 

 return into it again a foot or more in length. Thirdly, the 

 i^almon attain a considerable bulk before they begin to 

 breed: the samlets, on the contrary, are found, male and 

 female (distinguished by the milt and roe), of their com- 

 5non si?e. Fourthly, they are found in the fresh waters in 

 #il tinpes of the year." 



These observations! of Mr, Pennant I can fully confirm 

 from my own experience, excepting the last, which I must 

 directly contradict ; for I believe it would be absolutely im- 

 possible to find a single sanjlet in any of our rivers in the 

 months of March and April, the very period when the 

 waters are teeming with the proper salmon-fry. This little 

 ititeresiing fish, the samlet, in natural habitudes, figure, and 

 even oily fatness, is truly a salmqn in miniature; but, never>- 

 theless, it does contain several discriminative marks, — in so 

 much that were a samlet and salmon- fry, of equal size^ 

 placed toi;ether, the most cursory eye would readily recog- 

 nise a difierence. The samlet is thicker and fuller made 

 than the fry, so much so as to be one third heavier in equal 

 lengths : but what would instantly distinguish the one from 

 the other, are several broad light blue bars crossing the 

 jiides from the gills to the tail. These the samlet never is 

 without, nor does (.he fry ever possess them, though similar 

 i)juemaiks may often be seen on small trout. The back 

 and iiniof the fry are also more dusky, and the few red 



spots 



