68 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



their tails became actually rounded : the fish alto- 

 gether at this time loses a great deal of its former 

 elegance. The tails of the females of a correspond- 

 ing age are more square, and their general shape is 

 more slim. 



These fish may be crossed with Salmon ; I mean 

 that by artificial impregnation hybrids may be thus 

 produced. Mr. Shaw says in a letter to me, dated 

 November 25th, 1840 : ' I put some of your sug- 

 gestions regarding the ova of the Salmon, and the 

 common Trout, Sea Trout, and Salmon, into practice 

 about a month ago, and shall let you know the 

 result." The following year I had the pleasure of a 

 letter from him, dated October i4th, 1841, saying 

 that " The hybrids which I produced by artificial 

 impregnation last autumn are all in a very healthy 

 state, the cross not having in the slightest degree 

 affected their constitution. Those produced between 

 the Salmon and the Salmon Trout (Salmo Trutta) 

 appear to partake more of the external markings, 

 silvery coating, and elegance of form of the Parr 

 (young Salmon) than any of the others. Those 

 produced between the Salmon and common Trout 

 (Salmo Fario), and between the common Trout and 

 Salmon Trout, have in every respect more the 

 appearance of the common Trout than the former/' 



Some have imagined that the Whitling or Hirling 

 are the young of the Bull Trout. But this is a mis- 

 take, as the Hirling abounds in the Annan, where 

 the Bull Trout is very rarely seen ; and also in the 

 Nith, where Mr. Shaw has never been able to dis- 

 cover one of the other species. Lord Home like- 



