GROWTH OF FISH. 71 



ing attained a length of about one and a half 

 inches were introduced to the larger sphere of 

 the pond, where they were carefully fed and 

 attended for twelve months. In May and June 

 1855, the young fry having attained the size of 

 what is familarly known as smolts, were marked 

 by cutting off the adipose fin; about one in a 

 hundred only were thus marked and liberated. 



Some of the young fish remained in the pond 

 but a large majority proceeded to the sea. 



The largest of -the smolts which left the 

 place of their nativity in May and June meas- 

 ured no more than about seven inches in length 

 and weighed from one half to two ounces only. In 

 August 1855 a portion of them returned from 

 the sea, after an absence of about two months 

 only. The marked ones were weighed, and the 

 smallest one was found to weigh 3J pounds, ano- 

 ther weighed 5 pounds, one 5-J- pounds, one of 5f 

 pounds, one of 7-J- pounds, and one of 9-J pounds. 

 This latter one measured over two and a half 

 feet in length. The whole number that left the 

 pond as smolts were above 200,000. 



Such an increase of growth is almost incredi- 

 ble, especially when we consider that they received 

 no attention whatever. It is reasonable to sup- 

 pose that one-half of the 200,000 returned, in fact 

 it would be no exaggeration to state that three- 



