GROWTH OF SALMON. 175 



read that fry marked in April or May, will return 

 in July from the sea, and would then weigh two 

 or three pounds and upwards. If that be so, 

 provided a few stock fish were left, it could 

 hardly require so great a length of time to 

 "re-animate" an over-draughted or over-poached 

 river. 



Theoph. Yes, indeed ; for, supposing them to 

 increase in weight in the same or even a greater 

 proportion every year, still it would require three 

 or four years at least to produce a quantity, 

 which is what we most require all accidents 

 considered, of which anon. As to size, there 

 exists little doubt that fry which go down to the 

 sea in May, little longer than your finger, will 

 return, in July and the following months, young 

 salmon or grilse of from four to seven or eight 

 pounds, increasing in size with each successive 

 month, it being generally estimated that from 

 June till September or October, they grow at 

 about the rate of half a pound per week while at 

 sea; and therefore, perhaps, if we could only be 

 assured that no netting or poaching would take 

 place in a river, and IF ALL the fry survived 

 their many dangers and returned to us here in 

 the summer and autumn, the produce of one pair 

 of salmon would be enough. The number of ova 

 in a salmon are reckoned on the average at 18,000 

 or 20,000; and 12,000 are thought to be the 



