44 NATUKAL HISTOEY OF THE SALMON. 



had carried out with equal success similar experi- 

 ments, asserted that the whole would become 

 smoults, or, as parrs, migrate to the sea that 

 season; and there was no little speculation created 

 amongst those who took an interest in these mat- 

 ters to learn the result. Articles on the subject 

 appeared from time to time in the Perthshire 

 Courier, the North British Daily Mail, the 

 Scotsman, the Field, and even the Times took up 

 the subject. 



The spring of 1855 was very severe, for the 

 ice was not off the pond from the middle of 

 January till the 8th of March, and when the ice 

 was at its thickest it was 10 inches thick, and 

 chaffers, containing fire, had to be used at the 

 outgoing sluice, so as to insure a constant run of 

 water through the pond. Large holes were kept 

 open in the ice, and the keeper, during the 

 severest of the frost, had to visit them two or 

 three times during the night to keep them open. 

 At these holes the fish were regularly fed, and 

 they appeared to feed greedily. This severe 

 weather had an effect in retarding the develop- 

 ment of the fry. On the 2d of May, a meeting 

 of the Committee appointed by the Tay fishing 

 proprietors was held at the pond, when Mr 



