THE SALMON 



203 



From these returns, which may be welcomed as a very- 

 instructive instalment of what may be expected as the result 

 of the extensive and systematic observation and markings of 

 fish now being carried on under the Scottish Fishery Board, it 

 is abundantly clear that the growth of salmon in the earlier 

 stages — from smolt to grilse and from grilse to salmon — is 

 exceedingly rapid, but, as might be expected, far from uniform, 

 depending, no doubt, pardy on the constitution of the 

 individual, on its power of assimilating nourishment, and partly 

 on its success in finding abundance. Especially interesting are 

 Nos. 18, 19, 20, and 21 in the above list, recording the 

 recapture of marked smolts, showing an increase of as much 

 as 5500 per cent, in weight within fourteen months. It will 

 be remarked that all these smolts were recaptured as small 

 grilse, whence it may be inferred that large grilse from 5 lb. 

 to 10 lb. have remained two whole seasons in the sea without 



