THE SALMON. 167 



and increased thickness of skin and scales, in about three years after 

 hatching, and usually descends to the sea during May or June, or even 

 July. It is usually, also, about 2oz. at the time of its migration, and may, 

 as before indicated, and often does, return in the following spring, with 

 enormously increased bulk. If they return in this manner they are known 

 as grilse ; if, however, as may happen, they remain longer in salt water, 

 and do not seek the rivers till the next year, they are salmon. From 

 what has been said, it will rightly be assumed that it is not absolutely a 

 physical necessity on the part of the fish to spawn every year. In fact, 

 it is an established truth that they sometimes only do this in alternate 

 years. Especially is this the case with young fish. As regards the weight 

 of parr I may remark that when this chapter appeared in " The Bazaar," 

 the Editor of that paper stated that early in September, 1879, whilst trout 

 fishing in the Dart, he caught a parr, weighing close upon lb. He added : 

 "This was the largest we ever saw ; indeed, in the same river we have 

 frequently taken smolts which were much smaller." 



At the time of ascent into the spawning water the fish whether 

 grilse or salmon is of a beautiful silvery hue, merging into bluish- 

 black on the back and upper part of the head. A few dark spots are 

 observable, and the tout ensemble of the Salmo solar at such time is very 

 imposing not at any time so variously beautiful, in my opinion, however, 

 as the Thames trout in his full war paint. The method by which one 

 can tell if the fish taken at this period be a grilse or salmon is by no 

 means easy of verbal communication ; but their scales are easier of 

 detachment than those of their older brethren, and superlatively easier 

 to get off than those of the small spring salmon before noticed. The 

 tails of the two former are also less forked than those of the latter. 



The journey upwards is often one of great fatigue and difficulty, 

 which, however, the instinct of the salmon in a great majority of cases 

 surmounts. The physical preparation received in the salt water is fully 

 required, and the maturing of the ova and milt, together with the arduous 

 character of the journey, tax the strength of the fish to an extremity. 

 No impediment, however, seems to daunt the aspiring would-be parent, 

 and she or he shoots with the velocity of a lightning flash up cataracts 

 or rapid streams, and over mechanical hindrances with a steeplechasing 

 ability often perfectly wonderful. Mr. Pennell says that at such times the 

 salmon will glide through the water at the rate of 1500ft. per minute 

 upwards of 400 miles per diem, assuming it never rests. I am quite 

 inclined to think that this is not an overestimated calculation, as it 

 accords very nearly with my own results in reference to trout when 

 alarmed, allowing for the difference in muscular power between the Salmo 

 salar and fario. 



