20 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



he, " and it was at your own table ; but I cannot 

 say who had the best of the argument, as I fell 

 asleep soon after it began." 



But indeed I had not resided long on the banks 

 of the Tweed, before I came to the conclusion that 

 the parr was not a distinct species, but, as I have 

 said, was actually the young of the salmon ; and 

 very many years ago, long before Mr. Shaw's ex- 

 periments, Mr. Kennedy having brought in a Bill 

 for the better preservation of the salmon fisheries, 

 I wrote to him the following letter, which I tran- 

 scribe from the first draught, which I preserved : 



u Pavilion, Melrose. 

 " Sir, 



" Your Salmon Bill being in progress, permit me 

 to have the honour of addressing you on a point 

 that is at present overlooked, and that you will at 

 once perceive is of vital importance to its successful 

 operation. 



" It is a fact, that whilst the legislature has 

 imposed penalties for the destruction of smolts or 

 salmon fry, not only those whose duty it is to put 

 the law in force, but the public, and even fishermen 

 themselves, cannot ascertain what these are at all 

 seasons of the year. On the contrary, for most 

 part of the year they go by the name of parrs, and 

 are destroyed daily with impunity, and in incredible 

 quantities. Hitherto the parr and the smolt have 

 been considered as different species ; but that 

 they are precisely the same, I think may be 

 demonstrated. 



"The received opinion, and that which the 



