FISHES AND FISHING. 78 



gentlemen whose names are mentioned by him ; but, 

 as I before observed, there are no salmon now in the 

 Thames, and there are no sceggers or parr; and 

 when, in my recollection, the former were numerous, 

 there were plenty of the latter. 



A very easy method of determining the question 

 will be thus : if these little fish be a distinct species, 

 they must have the organization necessary for the 

 reproduction of their progeny. We know that the 

 Thames is a river congenial to them ; let some of 

 its waters be stocked with two or three pairs of parr, 

 well protected, and mark the result; if they be a 

 separate species, [they will breed their own species : 

 but it is most probable it will be discovered that the 

 parr cannot propagate their own kind. Another 

 circumstance is very strongly conclusive ; the sceggers 

 of the Mersey leave that river in May or June, and 

 so did the sceggers of the Thames, evidencing their 

 migratory propensities, and those who did not do so, 

 were probably some who had not acquired sufficient 

 strength to battle with the ocean. The above state- 

 ment from the *' Glasgow Mail" appears decisive ; for 

 here are young fish absolutely bred from the ova of 

 the salmon, yet having all the character of parr. A 

 very extensive enquiry has been instituted by Dr. 

 Knox on this subject in his excellent little work " Fish 

 and Fishing in the Lone Glens of Scotland," published 



