380 ON RACES AND HYBRIDS AMONG SALMONID^. [May 20, 



to ascertain as bearing on the crossing of Salmon and Trout. When 

 we examine the lower animals we are told that should we cross the 

 female Ass with the Horse stallion we obtain a hinny, in which the 

 head is like that of the father, the ears those of the Horse, as is also 

 the neigh, the size following the female. If, on the other hand, 

 we take a Mare, and cross it with an Ass, we obtain a mule, wherein 

 the head is asinine, with long ears, &c, while it brays, and here 

 likewise size may be said to follow the mother. I have been ex- 

 amining some interesting crosses among Pheasants at Col. Smyth's; 

 he has crossed the male Amherst with the female Grolden Pheasant, 

 and the head of the young is unmistakably that of the Amherst. He 

 reversed the experiment, the Golden Pheasant being the father, and 

 the head and the generality of the plumage certainly takes after 

 the father. I have seen some other instances which would seem to 

 follow the same course, wherein the male appears to have had the 

 largest share in the production of the appearance of the offspring ; 

 but I have likewise been shown an instance in which the species of 

 the mother appears to have had the greatest proportion in the 

 plumage of the young. 



I simply draw attention to this question as one which may or may 

 not have any modifying influence on the offspring, and to ask those 

 who may be in positions to observe any results which ensue, to kindly 

 note them down for future information. 



The experiment with the young Trout reared from the parents 

 of 1875 or 1876 continues to afford the same results as formerly 

 noticed, young reared from the larger eggs giving the finest offspring. 

 The fish in both ponds have grown considerably during the winter 

 months. 



Respecting the young Canadian Salmonidae hatched at the 

 Fisheries Exhibition by Mr. Wilmot on and after May 1, 1883, 

 a considerable number are still alive. I went carefully through them 

 April 24, 1884, when they were not a year old. Many were in their 

 parr livery, and merely 2 to 2g inches long, and from this all inter- 

 mediate lengths were present up to a batch of 1 fry which were kept ' 

 in a tank by themselves, and had attained from 5| to 6 inches in 

 length. Two of these last were perfectly silvery smolts, destitute 

 of any finger-marks, while in the other eight faint vertical bands were 

 visible, while none had any red spots. The fins were very dark, and 

 there were numerous black spots over the upper half of the body. 

 On May 5 I found these smolts were becoming very restless, and 

 although in some the lateral bands were visible, they were very 

 faint. The colour of the body from the adipose dorsal (or in some 

 from just posterior to the rayed dorsal) to the caudal fin had become 

 very black, while if anything all the fins appeared to be darker. 



