12 The Atlantic Salmon 



is not a very rare size, and one is reputed to have 

 been taken of twenty pounds. 



Undoubtedly, owing to the sHght differences 

 in appearance, many small salmon, especially in 

 this country, are assumed to be grilse, and it is 

 rather strange, in view of the great similarity in 

 the fish at these two different stages of its exist- 

 ence, that so few writers give any instruction to 

 enable one to distinguish grilse from small salmon. 

 Mr. Young says in "The Book of the Salmon": 

 " Very frequently the only distinguishing marks 

 between grilse and salmon are the smaller scales 

 of the former, and longer and larger fins. The 

 fins of a grilse of eight pounds' weight are longer 

 and larger than those of a salmon of the same size." 



Other differences are the looser setting of the 

 scales, which are more easily rubbed off in the 

 grilse than in the salmon, and the squarer tail of 

 the adult fish, that of the grilse retaining the 

 forked shape of the smolt's to a marked degree. 

 The grilse is smaller in proportion at the root of 

 the tail than the salmon. With these peculiari- 

 ties borne in mind, it is not hard to tell salmon 

 from grilse, especially in this country, where the 

 latter seldom attain enough size to be mistaken 

 for their older relatives. 



