" TRAVELLING " FISH. 63 



the approach of summer, while, on the other hand, 

 the great influx of grilse commences about the 

 same time. In August, the heavier fish begin to 

 reappear, increasing in weight as the year pro- 

 gresses, and the grilse sensibly diminish in num- 

 bers ; but it is not until after the 26th of August, 

 when the nets are removed, that the fly-fisher on 

 the lower waters finds everything in his favour, 

 and may then fairly consider himself on the best 

 part of the Spey. 



Notwithstanding the flood of light that has 

 been thrown of late years on the biography of the 

 salmon by patient observers and zealous piscicul- 

 turists, how much still remains unknown and 

 obscure ! If any long-disputed point has latterly 

 been more satisfactorily settled than another, it is 

 that the parr, the samlet, the grilse, and the 

 salmon are really but one and the same fish at 

 different periods of its existence ; yet, but a few 

 years ago, one of our most distinguished ichthyo- 

 logists assured me that the parr was a distinct 

 species. Warned by the errors into which even 

 scientific luminaries may occasionally fall when 

 dealing summarily with questions so full of diffi- 

 culties, I shall avoid every " qiufittio r<'.rata" con- 

 nected with the history of Sal mo salar; but in 

 reference to the fact to which I have just alluded, 



