THE LIFE OF THE SALMON 231 



inches in length. As the last vestige of the sac disappears 

 the alevin existence is ended, and the fry stage is entered 

 upon. The tiny fish now begins to feed upon the minute 

 water insects, etc., surrounding it as it slowly works its 

 way upward or outward by gentle degrees to the surface 

 or side of the. redd, whence as it emerges it is possibly at 

 once swept away by the current, and unless it can find some 

 immediate shelter will most probably fall a victim to its 

 numerous and watchful foes. But, tender and inexperienced 

 as is the young fish, it is by no means lacking in wisdom. 

 Instinct guides it, and, luckily eluding its many enemies, 

 it finds its way to the nearest shelter, of which it 

 immediately takes advantage, and happily secures, below a 

 pebble or under some neighbouring root, a safe and com- 

 fortable home for the early days of its parr life. 



It will be, then, in the shallows of this river, near its 

 original home, that it remains until the following, or 

 perhaps the second or even the third, spring after its birth. 



THE APPEARANCE OF THE PARR 



His growth is very rapid, and he gradually assumes 

 the delightful beauty and colouring by which the parr is 

 recognized. Four months after leaving the egg he will 

 measure 2J inches, and in six months 3J inches. He is 

 slimmer, more graceful and more beautifully bright than 

 the troutlet, but with the exception of the posterior or 

 adipose fin, which has, unlike that of the trout, no shade of 

 vermilion edging in it, he is similar to a troutlet of a like 

 size. The transverse finger-marks common to the parr, 

 about eleven in number, are frequently found on young trout, 

 while the bright vermilion spots so dearly beloved by all 

 trout fishermen are, previous to the smolt stage of the 

 salmon also common to both fish. 



The food during the parr period consists of the water- 



