22 THE SEA-TROUT 



in the next succeeding spawning season, or at least some subsequent 

 spawning season, and (3) that the eggs in both instances had developed 

 into healthy fry which had thereafter thriven. 



Mr. Regan, however, only states in his book, that the fact " has been 

 shown experimentally," the precise nature and results of the experiment, 

 or experiments, not being more definitely indicated. But he has kindly 

 informed me that the experiments he had in view were those mentioned 

 by Dr. Day in his book on the " British and Irish Salmonidce" already 

 referred to. In a footnote to page 146 of that work, I find it stated 

 that: — " In November, 1886, Sir James Maitland, at Howietoun, laid 

 down some eggs of the sea-trout in order to follow out their life-history 

 if kept in fresh-water ponds; 350 hatched in 1887." Dr. Day's book 

 was pubKshed in 1887, and I am not aware whether he traced the career 

 of these sea-trout in any subsequent publication; but, on my making 

 inquiry on my own account as to the result of these experiments, Mr. 

 John Thomson, who has been so long connected with the hatchery work 

 carried on at Howietoun, courteously sent me the following very 

 interesting statement : — 



" My notes on this experiment and recollections of it are shortly as 

 follows : — The parents were caught in a tributary of the River Forth, 

 brought to Howietoun and spawned on November 23, 1886. There 

 were about 450 ova laid down to hatch of which some 350 hatched out 

 successfully in February, 1887, and the fry (some 250) were shifted 

 from the hatching-house to one of our ponds in June of the same year 

 and there fed the same as other fry. The young fish were again 

 shifted into a larger pond in June, 1888, when the average size was 

 found to be about 3 inches. 



" In August, i88g, some specimen fish, about 6 inches in length, 

 were taken from the pond by Dr. Day for examination and comparison 

 with common trout, 5. fano, and I remember we were all agreed that 

 it was impossible to distinguish them bv the eye from S. fario. In 



