SMOLTS 29 
In 1904 in the lower Tay I tried a simple piece of 
silver wire passed through the skin of the back close 
to the adipose fin, but the wire chosen was rather 
heavy. In the following year, however, Mr. Malloch, 
Perth, tried a finer silver wire, inserting it through 
the front of the dorsal fin and twisting it into a 
simple loop, and this was found to answer very well. 
From the commencement at Fochabers very great 
advantage had been experienced in not handling the 
smolts, but in using small vulcanite tubes for holding 
the fish when inserting the marks. By using these 
holders complete freedom from injury to the delicate 
little fish through handling was secured. Under 
Mr. Malloch’s supervision, therefore, in 1905, the Tay 
Salmon Fisheries Company undertook the marking, 
and Mr. McNicol, who carried through the actual 
operation, succeeded in inserting the wire loops in 
6500 smolts. The admirable results which have 
followed will be related in next chapter. 
