MR. SHAW'S HYBRIDS. 201 



as far as they have proceeded, in the letters referred 

 to. The first of these, dated 26th April, 1841, is as 

 follows : 



" I am happy to inform you that my experiments with 

 the ova of the common trout and salmon have been 

 quite successful, and their hybrids are now hatched, and 

 in good health." 



Again, 14th of October, 1841. 



" The hybrids I produced by artificial impregnation, 

 last summer, are all in a very healthy state, the cross not 

 having in the slightest degree aifected their constitution. 

 Those produced between the salmon and salmon trout 

 appear to partake more of the external markings, silvery 

 coating, and elegance of form, of the parr, than any of 

 the others. Those produced between the salmon and 

 common trout, and between the common trout and 

 salmon trout, have, in every respect, more the appear- 

 ance of the common trout than the former." 



Is Mr. Shaw really serious? Were these hybrids 

 actually in existence? What has become of them? 

 Were there no after-revelations promulgated, as to the 

 size they arrive at, the habits they maintain, whether 

 marine or fresh-water, the generative functions they 

 want or are possessed of? Why not favour the world 

 of science with some description of such marvellous pro- 

 ductions ? Why not account for their total exclusion 

 from our rivers, or prove that they are there, swarming, 

 as they must necessarily do, if his system of impregna- 

 tion be correct, in overpowering numbers ? Upwards 

 of five years have elapsed, and we are not yet enlight- 

 ened with an account of the completed result of these 

 experiments. Some mishap has plainly taken place ; 

 the wild ducks have been at work, the ponds robbed of 

 their previous contents or, so I fear, a new and impor- 



K3 



