174 THE SALMON. 



colours unfolded would always be the same, without the 

 possibility of their varying ; whereas, it is well known 

 this is not the case, every plant possessing a virtue of 

 its own, which is the secret or origin of its colour, 

 although acted upon in many instances, as florists in- 

 form us, by change of circumstances. What I have 

 stated in respect to flowers holds good also as regards 

 trout and salmon. The kind and quality of their food 

 contribute, no doubt, to bring out or exclude the colour 

 spoken of, but this colour is one that really appertains 

 to the fish, and is by no means derived from the suste- 

 nance taken by it. Were this the case, perch and other 

 fresh-water fishes, subsisting on the same kinds of food 

 that trout do, would frequently, like them, acquire the 

 pink or red colour spoken of. 



Of whatever force these observations are as respects 

 the question at issue, one thing is clear, that the salmon 

 proper, whether they derive their high colour from 

 marine sustenance or not, are possessed of it in common 

 with fresh-water trout and charr, fishes that have no 

 access to the aliment mentioned by Dr. Knox and other 

 naturalists. I may also state a fact well known on 

 Tweedside, and bearing upon the matter in hand, 

 namely, that although salmon, after their entrance into 

 fresh water, do undoubtedly, after a time, lose a portion 

 of their high colour, in the same manner as trout and 

 charr do, on becoming what is technically called foul ; 

 yet, as is well known, this property is, to some extent, 

 recovered by them after parting with their spawn or 

 milt, before returing to the sea as kelts. 



In reality, however, this question is one of no great 

 esteem or consequence; nor do I believe it to be so 

 regarded, even by those whose assertions have given 

 rise to it ; their sole motive being, by such random and 



