228 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
many years before Yarrell and Jardine had pronounced them 
authoritatively to be a distinct species, Scrope had urged upon 
the Legislature the futility of preserving smolts unless parr re- 
ceived protection also. His view, and the unanswerable grounds 
whereon it rested, were communicated to Mr. Kennedy, who 
had introduced a Salmon-Fishery Bill to the House of Commons 
early in 1825. 
Well, the parr and smolt dispute was decided long ago, 
and there is no need to stir it afresh. The only justification 
for recalling it at this time of day is by way of warning against 
accepting either a priori theories or mere circumstantial evidence 
upon any phase of the life and habits of the salmon, and as 
showing the necessity of checking the results of scientific 
research by the observation of practical fishermen, and vice versa. 
I must now revert to a point whereon the riverside men 
have been proved by men of science to be in serious error. It 
is a belief commonly entertained among anglers and fishermen 
that kelts—i.c., salmon descending to the sea in an emaciated 
condition after spawning—are ravenous creatures, devouring 
quantities of the young of their own species. This has given 
rise to a cry for repeal of the clauses in the Salmon Acts which 
make it illegal to kill kelts. At one time, and that not so very 
long ago, men of science were on the side of the calumniators 
of kelts. Writing as recently as 1886, Professor Seeley 
expressed himself as follows :—‘‘ After spawning, salmon 
develop cannibal propensities, and the old feeble kelts which 
remain in the river grow voracious, and consume immense 
quantities of salmon fry, before they recover strength enough 
to go down to the sea.”’* 
It might be supposed that an ichthyologist of Professor 
Seeley’s standing and experience would not have made such a 
serious charge against kelt salmon without ample evidence to 
support it. But there is none, or next to none, and a great 
deal of evidence against it. In the first place, nobody ever has 
* The Fresh-water Fishes of Europe, p. 269. 
—— 
