SIZE AND AGE OF THE SMOLT. 227 



begin to look more dimly through the scaly coat- 

 ing, and we now see the young fish fairly under- 

 going another wonderful and interesting change, 

 and rapidly advancing towards perfection." 



The 9th and last figure, is that of a smolt or 

 salmon-fry one year old. The transverse bars are 

 apparently gone, completely covered with silver 

 scales. The young fish, " clean as a smelt," has 

 assumed its migratory coat, and in colour and 

 shape, if not in size, puts in a clear title to its 

 salmon descent. It is now completely silver- sided. 

 Its silver scales are easily rubbed off, and when 

 that occurs the transverse bars become again 

 visible, showing what caused the visible disappear- 

 ance of the latter. The length of the specimen 

 here represented was five and a half inches. Of 

 young salmon at this stage, Mr. Young says : — 

 " They have now got on their migratory drees, 

 and are fully prepared to leave the streams of their 

 nativity for the trackless ocean ; they are now 

 full of mirth and activity, gathering together, in 

 shoals, and sporting freely among the waters; 

 feeding greedily, and at this time, they will very 

 readily rise at and take a fly, either natural or 

 artificial. We have various accounts of their size 

 at this age. Some make the smolts in general 

 eight inches long ; some allege to have seen them 



Q 2 



