238 GROWTH OF SALMON AT SEA. 



of the Shin will be larger and much longer than 

 the grilse of the Oikel, and that the grilse of the 

 Oikel will be larger than the grilse of the Carsely. 

 The reason' of this disparity is, the full-grown 

 fish of the Shin are much larger than those of 

 the Oikel, and the adult fish of the latter are 

 somewhat larger than those of the Carsely. The 

 growth of salmon at sea, and at sea only for, 

 after having attained in fresh water the srnolt 

 size, they make no further increase in the non- 

 saline element depends on three things : dura- 

 tion of time they remain on their sea feeding- 

 grounds, quality and quantity of food they obtain 

 thereon, and hereditary capacity for growth with 

 apportioned powers of digestion. The grilse of 

 small salmon, that is, of salmon which never grow 

 beyond a small size, are handsomer, in every way 

 better shaped, and generally of a brighter hue, 

 than the grilse, the produce of larger-growing 

 salmon. The grilse of the rivers Carron and Lax- 

 ford, in Eoss-shire and Sutherlandshire, are hand- 

 some, small-headed, thick and deep and short in 

 the body ; the scales of which are small, smooth, 

 and bright, because they are the offspring of small 

 parent salmon; whereas, the grilse of the river 

 Shin, in which salmon grow to a very large size, 

 are ill-shapen fish, having large heads, long, thin 

 bodies, large, long fins, and large, rough, and by 

 no means brilliant scales. It requires experience 



