PARRS AND SMOLTS 27 



proof of experiments that have been made by 

 various persons, that the spawn of the salmon 

 continues imbedded in the gravel from ninety to 

 one hundred and fifteen days, according to the 

 temperature of the water, before it vivifies ; and 

 indeed remains there some weeks after its exclusion 

 from the egg. Mr. Shaw has stated the exact time 

 of this latter period to be fifteen days ; at the end 

 of which time, says he, the egg which was attached 

 to its abdomen, from which it derived its nourish- 

 ment, " contracted and disappeared ; the fin or 

 tadpole-like fringe also divided itself into the dorsal, 

 adipose, and anal fins, all of which then became 

 perfectly developed ; the little transverse bars, 

 which /or a period of two years characterise it as a 

 parr, also made their appearance ; so that a period 

 of at least 140 days is required to perfect this little 

 fish, which even then measured little more than 

 one inch in length." 



The above not being matter of conjecture, but 

 having been demonstrated by experiment, how by 

 any possibility can the old doctrine be true, that 

 the fry which go to sea about the first or second 

 week in May, six or seven inches long, can be the 

 spawn of the winter immediately preceding it ? 

 And what and where are the young of the salmon 

 all the summer, if they are not indeed parr ; for no 

 silver-coloured fry are at that time to be seen in 

 the river? I must add also, that it is incumbent 

 upon those naturalists who assert that the parr is a 

 distinct species, to prove that it is so from com- 

 parative anatomy. But they have not been able to 

 do this ; on the contrary, as far as I can learn, they 



