NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 39 



meaning, we presume, a trout that has no connexion 

 with the sea, although, by a universal " coincidence," it 

 does not live anywhere without that connexion. Even 

 here, however, another difficulty greater than the other 

 rises before him. Did he ever see two parrs spawning ? 

 Did he ever see a female parr with a developed roe ? He 

 never did, and never will. He may see indeed, among the 

 endless varieties of hues and marks exhibited by com- 

 mon or fresh-water trouts, some trouts having mottles or 

 finger-marks .resembling those upon the parr, arid ex- 

 ercising all the functions of adult fish, but for all that 

 a mottled trout is no more a parr than a spotted salmon 

 is a trout. Fortunately, however, this point, unlike 

 some others in the natural history of the salmon, not 

 only admits of demonstration by seeing and handling, 

 but has been demonstrated long ago, and over and 

 over again. 



About thirty years ago, Mr. Shaw transferred some 

 parrs from the river Nith to a pond that he had pre- 

 pared for the purpose ; and after a certain period they 

 assumed the migratory dress and movements in other 

 words, became transformed or transcoloured into salmon 

 smolts. Here it was proved that the parr is the infant 

 of the salmon, unless indeed it was to be denied that 

 smolts are the youth of the salmon, in due time be- 

 coming salmon themselves. Next, Mr. Shaw, watching 

 till a pair of salmon had deposited their ova in a stream 

 of the Nith, transferred the ova to an artificial stream 

 connected with his pond ; and after a time the eggs were 

 hatched, and the produce was parrs. Here it was proved 

 that the salmon is the parent of the parr, just as com- 





