26 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



Firstly, That no one ever saw a clear silver- 

 looking fry below the usual dimensions of those 

 which are ready to go down to the sea ; that is, till 

 the new dress comes over them, and obliterates the 

 distinguishing marks of what is called the Parr. 



Secondly, That Parrs are found above falls which 

 Salmon can, but they cannot possibly, surmount. 



A high spate might certainly bring some of these 

 falls more to a level ; but it would be as impossible 

 for a Parr to swim up them in a raging flood, as it 

 would be for the sere leaf that falls into the waves 

 to find its passage upwards. Mr. Shaw, who has 

 carefully watched shoals of Parr (correctly speak- 

 ing, Smolts) in their descent to the sea, affirms that 

 they pass down the current with the greatest 

 caution, keeping their heads up the stream, and 

 rowing gently with their fins against it, so as to 

 steady themselves and prevent a too rapid descent ; 

 and thus they drop down by degrees, tail foremost, 

 precisely in the same manner that we manage a 

 boat in the Tweed when descending the rapids. 



When the fry were congregating in May I caught 

 these little fish in various stages of the growth of the 

 new scale. In some it had supervened so as to 

 obliterate the bars and spots entirely, when their 

 sides became silver ; in others they were partially 

 obliterated, so as to leave only a mere stain of colour ; 

 whilst some retained them almost entire. As I 

 caught these fry I sent them up to Sir David Brew- 

 ster, who was then residing at his beautiful place on 

 the banks of the Tweed. After a careful examination 

 he could find no distinction in the structure of the 



