FISHES AND FISHING. 71 



* Hofland considered these a distinct species of fish, 

 and gave them the name of salmon pink, brandling 

 or parr. Mr. Graham, of Eedgorton, entertains the 

 opinion that the parr was not of the salmon species. 

 As an instance, he adduces the river Almond 

 as having no salmon, but great plenty of parr* 

 Another author calls them samlets, and in the Mer- 

 sey, in Cheshire, Dr. Brookes says, the scegger is 

 called a salmon- smelt, and that two of them whilst 

 small, were put by a tradesman of Stockport into his 

 fish-pond, and taken out in three years, when they 

 were found to weigh five pounds each.* He also 

 states, that they leave the Mersey in May or June, 

 but does not say where they go to. 



These fish have been extinct in the Thames ever 

 since salmon ceased to frequent it ; and I, therefore, 

 think they were the young of that species of fish, 

 abiding in the fresh water till strong enough to bear 

 the sea water ; for it is a well-authenticated fact, that 

 young salmon will die if immersed in salt water until 

 they have acquired sufficient strength, and then they 

 go naturally to it with advantage to themselves. 



About 1790, sceggers were caught very freely, and 

 in great numbers, in the shallows at I^aleham, near 



* I must take leave to doubt this statement, being satisfied that 

 sceggers are the young salmon, and would not live unless they 

 had access to the sea^ 



