198 



MEMBERS OF THE SALMON FAMILY. 



[CHAP. v. 



each present the same the very same appearance. Various 

 other plans of marking were tried by the authorities at Stor- 

 montfield, some of which were partially successful, and added 

 another link to the chain of evidence, which proves at any rate 

 that many individual fish have grown from the smolt to the 

 grilse state in the course of a very few weeks. 





FISHES OF THE SALMON FAMILY. 

 I. Salmon. 2. Grilse. 3. Sea-trout. 4. Herling. 



Leaving the salmon as an object of natural history, and 

 looking at it as an article of commerce, I find that there exists 

 a considerable dread of its speedy extinction, which, taking 

 into account the state of the fisheries, is not at all to be 

 wondered at. The English salmon-fisheries have utterly 

 declined ; the Irish fisheries are decaying ; and the eager- 

 ness with which the Scotch people are rushing to Parliament 

 for new laws indicates a fear of a similar fate overtaking 

 the fisheries of the North. The " breeches-pocket" view of the 

 question has recently become of considerable importance, in 

 consequence of this fear of failing supplies ; for the commerce 



