Traiisacticns 31 



But I am prepared to assert that they do feed, and feed as 

 voraciously as any other members of their family. Passing over 

 the early stages of incubation, we arrive at the parr stage in the 

 salmon's life. The parr, by-and-bye, puts on the livery of the 

 smolt, and at that stage passes down to the sea. It loses the 

 peculiar finger-mai'ks with which we are familiar, and the general 

 trout-like appearance, and becomes very silvery. It used to be sup- 

 posed that this silvery appearance was caused by growth of scales ; 

 but tliAt was not so. It is caused by a silvery pigment on the under 

 side of the scales and opercoles, which are scaleless. An interesting 

 experiment was tried some years ago. A number of salmon 

 parr were taken from tlie river — I hope there are no water-bailiffs 

 present — and placed in an aquarium tank. In due course about 

 half of tliem developed into the smolt stage. The others did not. 

 Sea water was added, the supply of fresh water being previously 

 cutoff. What was the consequence? Some people affirm that 

 parr will not live as such in salt water. These not only lived, 

 but very rapidly assumed the smolt stage after the salt water 

 was added. Now we know that parr feed. Those of you who 

 are anglers know that they would take almost any bait. They 

 have been found gorged with shell fisli, with the larvie of aquatic 

 insects, kc. Smolts also feed voraciously. They would even 

 spoil the sport in a river, taking the bait so readily as to become 

 a nuisance. Could it be supposed that the salmon in its early 

 stage, during which it does not make any great growth, but feeds 

 voraciously, after going to tlie sea take eitlier no food or very 

 little ; notwithstanding that the smolt which had left the river 

 perliaps a quarter of a pound in weight returned as a grilse 

 weighing six or seven pounds ? It seems unreasonable. It was 

 found among domesticated fish that at certain seasons of the year 

 they feed voraciously, and at other times very little ; but at all 

 times more or less food was taken. At Stormontfield some years 

 ago, it was noticed on one occasion that the smolts which were to 

 be let down to the sea were of a very much larger size than they 

 had been in previous years. It was found, on inquiry, that the 

 ponds had become charged with minute shell fish, and the liberal 

 diet they afforded accounted for the extra growth of the smolts. 

 Some smolts returned from the sea as grilse in two or three 

 months ; others in fourteen or fifteen months. Those which 

 returned in two or three months had, taking a very low estimate, 

 attained a weight of some three pounds ; but those which remained 



