SMOLTS 9 



seemed to have been successfully obtained, all the 

 eggs died before hatching. 



In the experiments above related the abundance 

 of food was carefully seen to, and up to the smolt 

 stage, as has been said, such artificial feeding will 

 induce excessive growth. Yet in attempts to pro- 

 duce grilse in fresh water the best result is a stunted, 

 flabby-looking fish. But a few attempts have also 

 been made to produce grilse in confinement in salt 

 water ponds. We have already seen what became 

 of the Stormontfield fish. A fish from the Usk, kept 

 in the salt water tanks of the Brighton Aquarium, 

 is reported to have lived for five years, and to have 

 then attained to a weight of 8 lb. Some similar 

 experiments have, I understand, been made at Ply- 

 mouth in the laboratory of the Marine Biological 

 Association. Other experiments have been made at 

 the mouth of the river Spey, in a pond specially 

 excavated for the purpose by direction of the Duke 

 of Richmond and Gordon. Those last-mentioned 

 experiments I have in a measure been able to follow- 

 The pond was constructed of cement work sunk 

 in the gravel of the sea beach, and was connected to 

 the sea by means of a syphon. In the second week 

 of September 1901 some twenty-five smolts nearly 

 two and a half years old were first introduced. In 

 the adjoining fresh water ponds they had been raised, 

 and having been retained beyond their natural time 

 of migration, had already assumed and then lost the 

 silvery dress. They were put straight into pure 

 sea water, where they ceased feeding at once, and 

 where in a few days four died. On a certain admix- 



