44 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



Firstly, That no one ever saw a clear silver-looking 

 fry below the usual dimensions of those which are 

 ready to go down to the sea; that is, till the new 

 dress comes over them, and obliterates the distinguish- 

 ing marks of what is called the Parr. 



Secondly, That Parrs are found above falls which 

 Salmon can, but they cannot possibly, surmount. 



A high spate might certainly bring some of these 

 falls more to a level; but it would be as impossible for a 

 Parr to swim up them in a raging flood, as it would be 

 for the sere leaf that falls into the waves to find its 

 passage upwards. Mr. Shaw, who has carefully 

 watched shoals of Parr (correctly speaking, Smolts) 

 in their descent to the sea, affirms that they pass down 

 the current with the greatest caution, keeping their 

 heads up the stream, and rowing gently with their fins 

 against it, so as to steady themselves and prevent a too 

 rapid descent ; and thus they drop down by degrees, 

 tail foremost, precisely in the same manner that we 

 manage a boat in the Tweed when descending the 

 rapids. 



When the fry were congregating in May I caught 

 these little fish in various stages of the growth of the 

 new scale. In some it had supervened so as to obliterate 

 the bars and spots entirely, when their sides became 

 silver; in others they were partially obliterated, so as to 

 leave only a mere stain of colour ; whilst some retained 

 them almost entire. As I caught these fry I sent them 

 up to Sir David Brewster, who was then residing at his 

 beautiful place on the banks of the Tweed. After a 

 careful examination he could find no distinction in the 



