48 



Obstructions in the river will interfere little with young 

 fish artificially bred descending to the sea, although they are 

 often fatal to the ascent of spawning fish. Returning to the 

 artificial propagation of salmon, the selection of breeders is 

 very important, eggs from young fish being far smaller in 

 size and the fry hatched from them more delicate than is 

 the case with ova spawned from mature breeders. I think 

 it therefore necessary that the Salmon should be caught and 

 selected so soon as the rod fishing closes, as by selecting the 

 best hen fish the future stock of the water will be much 

 improved. 



The non-migratory Salmones in this country are 

 classed by Doctor Giinther under the following species 

 S. Fario : Ferox : Gilleroo Nigri-pinnis ; Orcadensis and 

 Levenensis, but probably with the exception of the 

 S. Levenensis, which more nearly approaches a marine form, 

 these are all more or less permanent varieties of Fario ; and 

 their fry, at least those produced under artificial conditions, 

 are more easily reared than the fry of the migratory species. 

 Their cultivation may be said to consist in the selection of the 

 oldest females for breeding purposes, in the artificial incuba- 

 tion of the ova and the rearing of the fry ; beyond this their 

 culture resolves itself into a question of habitat and food, of 

 habitat by choosing the species or variety best suited to the 

 ends in view, and of food, for it is only by increasing the 

 food supply in the water that the heaviest weight per acre 

 and the most delicate quality of the flesh can be produced. 

 The cultivation of the food supply in fresh water is effected 

 by the reduction of coarse consumers of food who come in 

 competition with the Salmones, by the cultivation, intro- 

 duction, and acclimatization of fish whose value as food 

 for Salmones is greater than the value of the sustenance 

 they themselves derive from the water, as, for instance, the 



