178 TEE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



predecessor of the present Earl of Home in the Tweed, its weight being 

 69flb." 



In concluding the above general remarks on the natural history of the 

 fish and its migratory habits in particular, I cannot forbear to quote the 

 epitome Mr. Pennell gives of the proved facts anent the fish, which, 

 although written some fourteen years ago, are yet of their full value, 

 and have never, so far as I know, been upset. The following is hia 

 admirably compressed synopsis : 



" 1. Salmon and grilse invariably spawn in fresh water, if possible, both 

 the eggs and the young fry whilst in the parr state being destroyed by 

 contact with salt water. 



" 2. The eggs are usually deposited on gravelly shallows, where they 

 hatch in from 80 to 140 days, according to the temperature of the water. 

 Eggs remaining unhatched beyond the latter period will seldom hatch at 

 all, possibly from having been destroyed by the low temperature. 



[I cannot quite agree with Mr. Pennell in reference to the latter 

 suggestion. Cold is not likely to destroy eggs, as the transportation of 

 ova to New Zealand in ice has shown. The more probable reason is 

 that the ova never were fecundated.] 



" 3. The eggs deposited by the female will not hatch under any 

 circumstances unless vivified after exclusion by the milt of the male, 

 and at least up to the period of migration there is no difference 

 whatever in fry bred between salmon only, between grilse only, 

 between salmon and grilse, between salmon and parr, or between grilse 

 and parr. 



" Note. The female parr cannot spawn, but the male parr possesses 

 and constantly exercises the power of vivifying salmon and grilse eggs. 



" 4. The fry remain one, two, and in some cases three years in the rivers 

 as parr before going down to the sea, about half taking their departure 

 at one year, nearly all the others at two years, and the remainder, which 

 are exceptional, at three years old. 



" 5. All young salmon fry are marked with blueish bars on their sides 

 until shortly before their migration, up to which period they are parrs. 

 They then invariably assume a more or less complete coating of silvery 

 scales and become smolts the bars or parr marks, however, being still 

 clearly discernible on rubbing off the new scales. 



"6. The young of all the species here included in the genus salmo have 

 at some period of their existence these blueish bars, and, consequently, 

 such marks are not by themselves proofs that fry bearing them are the 

 young of the true salmon. 



"7. Unless the young fish put on their smolt dress in May or early in 

 June, and thereupon go down to the sea, they remain as parrs another 



