

284 FISHES OF THE FIRTH OF FORTH. 



and from two to five on the anterior part of the vomer ; 

 the colour of the head is of a greenish-blue ; the cheeks, 

 gill- covers, and the whole of the body below the lateral 

 line, of a fine silvery-white ; the back, as far as a little 

 above that line, dusky with metallic blue reflections ; the 

 pectoral, dorsal, and caudal fins, black ; ventral and anal 

 white ; the caudal acutely forked. After they have re- 

 mained a short period in fresh water, they lose their silvery 

 lustre, and the ventral and anal fins assume a dusky ap- 

 pearance. During the ensuing winter the most of them 

 spawn, after which they return to the sea, and are taken in 

 the following year from ten to fifteen pounds weight, when 

 they receive the name of salmon. 



It is the opinion entertained by all naturalists who have 

 hitherto written on this subject, that the fry of the salmon 

 grow to the length of seven inches or more, in less than two 

 months, and that all of them emigrate to the sea the same 

 spring in which they are excluded from the ova ; but this 

 theory, I have little doubt, would no longer be found ten- 

 able, were naturalists to direct their attention to the natu- 

 ral growth of these animals, and to examine the young at 

 different periods and stages of growth for themselves, since 

 I have repeatedly ascertained, from personal observation, that 

 a certain number of salmon fry (probably of a late brood) 

 remain in the rivers during the autumn months in com- 

 pany with their congeners, — and being at that period of 

 the year very similar in their external appearance to the 

 fry of the Bull-Trout, the Salmon-Trout, and Parr, have 

 given rise to such divided opinions as to what these small 

 fish really are, — some persons supposing them to be all 

 Parrs, while others again announce them as being the young 

 of the Salmon. 



Mr Shaw (who has performed some interesting expe- 

 riments on the ova of the Salmon), by keeping salmon 



