74 NATURAL HISTOEY OF THE SALMON. 



a silver ring in its back must be very attractive 

 to pikes and other enemies. 



The hatching of 1858 turned out very prolific, 

 for the lower canal contained as many fish, 

 as, if allowed to come to maturity, would 

 have covered the whole rental of the Tay 

 for one year; and when it is considered that 

 these fish would meet with no accident in the 

 pond as ten per cent, of deaths has not hap- 

 pened in any year since the ponds were estab- 

 lished it will be easy to see the value of artificial 

 rearing. At this time a visit to the ponds must 

 have been very interesting to the naturalist, for 

 the fry of salmon, the fry of grilse and salmon, 

 the fry of grilse, and the fry of salmon and parr 

 kept in separate boxes might have been seen 

 swimming about, and compared. On the closest 

 inspection, no difference was perceptible either in 

 the form, colour, size, or markings of any of these 

 fish. There were larger and smaller fry to be 

 seen amongst all these hatchings. 



Very few of the smoults of this exodus May, 

 1858 were reported as grilse to Mr Buist as 

 taken in the net, the fishermen not giving them- 

 selves the trouble; but a number were captured 

 by anglers with the undoubted mark, namely, the 



