78 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 



difference, either in quantity or appearance of the 

 fry, after the first year, from fry raised from 

 grilse alone, or salmon and grilse conjoined, or 

 even salmon and parr. All take the same time 

 to hatch, and in equal proportions arrive at the 

 smoult state at the same time. 



HATCHING OF 1860. 



The winter of 1859 and 1860 was very un- 

 favourable for the hatching of the ova, and fears 

 were entertained that a good portion would be 

 destroyed by the severity of the weather; but 

 although this retarded the young brood, they 

 turned out as numerous as on former occasions. 

 The keeper reported the first ovum to have 

 been hatched on the 10th of April. The first 

 of the ova having been deposited on the 17th of 

 November, it had taken 145 days to hatch, 

 which is about a month longer than it would 

 have required had the season been mild and 

 good. The keeper says that 128 days was the 

 longest previous time of hatching since the ex- 

 periment commenced. He also stated that the 

 temperature of the water, after the deposition 

 of the ova, never was higher than 36 degrees. 

 The two-year old fry in the pond at this time 



