24 SALMON. 



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 conies 

 over them, and obliterates the distinguishing 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, Smoltsym 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 

 <2ok*> dX.'v**'' new scale. Some 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 

 structure of the organs between any of these little 

 creatures, however differing in colour. 



