84* SALMONID^ OF BRITAIN. 



the young of the salmon have been employed, invectives against opponents have 

 been freely indulged in, and all because no one would hatch the little fish fi'om the 

 ovum, and ascertain the various changes it went through in the course of the first 

 few years of its life. 



escaped, but there were three alive the following May ; these were taken out and examined in the 

 presence of many competent judges, who were decidedly of the opinion that they were real salmon. 

 These experiments showed not only the growth of the smolt or samlet into grilse or botcher, but 

 also that of the grilse into gilling or salmon of one year's growth. 



One must, however, decline assenting to some of Mr. Ellis's conclusions (" Natural History of 

 the Salmon," in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, 1828, p. 250 et seq.), viz., that 

 salmon " frequently propagate their kind during the first year of their age," or that "in the first 

 five months of its existence, that is, from April to August, both inclusive, it reaches, in favourable 

 circumstances, to about 8 lb. in weight, or grows at the average rate of about 1 lb. 9^ oz. a 

 month; that from September following to March, seven months, it acquires 7 lb. additional 

 weight, which is at the average rate of about 1 lb. IJ oz. per month ; and lastly, that through the 

 next twelve months it gains 10 lb, more, or weighs 35 lb., which is somewhat more than 13| oz. 

 per month." 



Fleming, History of British A7iimals, 1828, ii. 179, speaking of the young of the salmon, 

 remarked, " The fry leave the spawning groove about March, retire to pools, and proceed according 

 to circumstances in myriads along the easy water at the margin of the river, with their heads 

 against the stream, until they reach the tide in the estuary, where, like the kelts, which frequently 

 go down at the same time, they retire to the deepest part of the channel and disappear in the sea. 

 These samlets, smoults, or smouts, are regarded by many as reappearing in the estuaries a few 

 months afterwards in the character of ' grilses,' of from 3 lb. to 4 lbs. weight, according to the 

 lateness of the season." 



Sir Walter Scott, Fafr Maid of Perth, 1828, observed, "Eachim resembles Conachar," said the 

 glover, " no more than a salmon resembles a par, though men say they are the same fish in a 

 different state." 



Sir Humphrey Davy, Sahnonia, 1832, p. 68, considered par to be hybrid offspring of a 

 salmon and a trout ; also that "pars are exeeedingly numerous in those rivers where they are 

 found, which are never separated from the sea by imi^assable falls ; from which I think it is 

 possible that they are produced by a cross between sea and river trout " (p 70). 



Stoddart, Scottish Angler, 1831, strenuously advocated the theory that par are the young of 

 the salmon. 



Mr. Buist, Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, 1832, observed that Mr. Hoggs' novel theory of 

 pars being the young of salmon, astonished him, as the par differed from the smolt in many essential 

 particulars: "the par is a compact fish, with firm scales, small head and eye, and from every 

 appearance a fish come to maturity. The smolt is evidently a young tender fish, its scales come 

 off with the slightest touch ; its head and eyes are large, like other young creatures that are 

 destined to be of a much greater size. . . . But the greatest and most decided difference is 

 this, that pars are found in our rivers at all seasons of the year, and ' smolts,' or what we reckon 

 salmon fry, only from March to about the middle of June. The difference between the fish, even 

 in this respect, is almost sufficient to prove that they are not the same species." 



A correspondent in Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, vii, 1834, p. 209, observed : 

 " The oi^inion there, on the Wharfe, is, that if a female salmon gets up, even if no male accompanies 

 her, yet her eggs are fecundated by the male smolts." 



Sir W. Jardine, Edinburgh Neio Pltilosophical Journal, 1835, p. 56, stated of the Sahno 

 salmulus, or par, " the greatest uncertainty, however, latterly resolved itself into whether the par 

 was distinct, or a variety, or young of the common trout, S.fario. With the migratory salmon it 

 has no connection whatever. " In the markings they are so distinct as to be at once separated 

 from the trout by any observer." " I have no hesitation in considering the par not only distinct, 

 but one of the best and most constantly marked species we have, and that it ought to remain in 

 our system as the .S'. salmulus of Bay." He also said, "From the migratory salmon it is separated 

 entirely by its habits. The correct distinguishing marks to be seen by a i^ersou who Jhas not 

 leisure to make a minute examination, are the great size of the pectoral fins, the shortness of the 

 maxillary bones, and consequently the small gape, and the narrow breadth between the rami of 

 the lower jaw" {Bertinchshire Naturalists' Field Club, i, p. 84). 



Jenyns, Manual of British Vertebrate Animals, 1835, p. 426, gave the Salmo salmulus, which he 

 remarked is now pretty well ascertained to be a distinct species, always remaining of a small size. 

 It is called in some places a "par," in others a "skirling" or "brandling." According to 

 Dr. Heysham, Catalogue of the Animals of Cumberland, p. 31, the adult fish go down to the sea 

 after spawning, which takes place, as in the other migratory species of this genus, in the depth 

 of winter. 



Sir John Bichardson, Encyclopedia Britannica, Ed. 1835, p. 205, stated, " The ova continue 

 covered by the gravel during the winter, and begin to vivify from about the end of March to the 

 commencement of April. The fry remove from under the gravel when nearly an inch in length, 

 with the ovum still attached ; and at this period, if the spawning bed or furrow be turned up, it 

 will appear in motion. When disengaged from the ova the fish increase in size more rapidly, 

 and about the end of April and during May commence and perform their first migration or journey 

 to the sea. At this time they are from four to six inches in length." 



