126 MALACOP. ABDOM. SALMON FAMILY. 



Smelts, or Salmon fry, commonly so called. Having 

 thus traced the progress of the Parr, from an inch in 

 length, through its several stages, up to the period 

 of migration, various experiments were made on the 

 ova of the Salmon, with the view of proving the 

 identity of these two fish. Ova were obtained from 

 two Salmon engaged in spawning, and having been 

 properly placed in gravel under a stream of water, 

 produced young, ninety days after they were thus 

 imbedded. In fifty days more the form of the fish 

 was perfected, when it measured somewhat more 

 than an inch in length, and perfectly corresponded 

 to those which had been previously traced till they 

 assumed the form of Parr. That no objection might 

 arise to this experiment from the circumstance of 

 there not being sufficient evidence of the spawn in 

 question being actually that of the Salmon, as the 

 stream from which it was taken was accessible to 

 other species of the genus; the same experiment 

 was repeated with spawn, which the male and fe- 

 male Salmon were forced to exclude under the eyes 

 of the experimentalist, and the result was that the 

 young, after going through the usual developments, 

 became Parr, being, when twelve months old, three 

 inches and three quarters long, or corresponding to 

 those called May Parr. They remain over the 

 second winter in the rivers, and when about two 

 years old assume the migratory dress, or in other 

 words, become identical with what are usually 

 called Salmon fry or Smelt. 



The most remarkable part of Mr. Shaw's ex- 



