STORMONTFIELD EXPERIMENT. 61 



their way. Facts, not theories, in the history of 

 the fish were what they desired. They were 

 neither committed to the conclusions arrived at 

 by Shaw nor Young, and ultimately were enabled 

 to throw much light upon the previous experi- 

 ments of both of these naturalists. Shaw, as 

 we have stated, had insisted that the fry would 

 not become smoults at the age of one year or 

 thirteen months, while Young as confidently 

 asserted that all of them would the experiment 

 proving both to be partly right, both partly 

 wrong; one-half, as near as could be guessed, 

 going off the first year, and the other half (having 

 the parr marks) still remaining in the pond. 

 Until the parr takes on the smoult scales, it 

 shows no inclination to leave the fresh water. 

 It cannot live in salt water. This fact was put 

 to the test at the ponds, by placing some parrs 

 into salt water the water being brought fresh 

 from the sea at Carnoustie and immediately on 

 being immersed in it, the fish appeared distressed, 

 the fins standing stiff out, the parr marks becom- 

 ing a brilliant ultramarine colour, and the belly 

 and sides of a bright orange. The water was 

 often renewed, but they all died, the last that 

 died living nearly five hours. After being an 



