APPENDIX. 171 



salmon for next year's supply ; as it necessarily follows that, if 

 instinct operates on an individual salmon or grilse in bringing 

 it back to the rivers in summer, it must operate on the entire 

 body collectively. So that the illogical and vulgar theory of 

 leaving to the option of some of the fry to return to the rivers, 

 while their companions remain in the sea, and apparently with 

 no object in view beyond the very considerate one of benefit- 

 ing the spring fishermen, must be dismissed by the naturalist 

 as being in direct contradiction to the laws of nature and the 

 grand migratory system. 



M. Under that impression, you maintain that salmon and 

 grilse remain in the sea a longer time than is generally sup- 

 posed ? 



H. Yes. The fry of salmon, as well as that of grilse, are a 

 year old before they quit the rivers. I believe they remain 

 another year in the sea perhaps longer when the instinct of 

 salmon moves them to quit the sea in spring, and some in the 

 latter months of winter, on their way to the rivers. The in- 

 stinct of grilse does not operate till the beginning of summer, 

 when they commence their journey also to the rivers all for 

 the purpose of propagating their kind, precisely in the same 

 way as do the swallows, lapwings, teal-ducks, and all gre- 

 garious creatures, whether birds or fishes. 



M. Have you any other proof in support of your theory ? 



H. One simple and palpable fact, which any ordinary ob- 

 server might have remarked is, that grilse in May weigh from 

 three to five pounds ; in July, they are met with as large as from 

 ten to twelve pounds ; and instead of finding them, in August 

 and September, grown to the size of sixteen or twenty pounds, 

 which would be but natural if they continued to grow to become 

 salmon, they apparently begin to grow backwards ; as in Octo- 

 ber we have them as small as we had them in May, not grow- 

 ing one inch larger from that time till they return to the sea in 

 March and April as kelts. Before quitting this subject, I may 

 as well mention another fact, which of itself seems to me con- 

 clusive ; and that is that there are some rivers in Scotland 

 which produce salmon with but very few grilse. Such is the 

 Shinn, in Sutherlandshire, whose fishing season is considered 



