Fishes. 4985 



in the publication of its Proceedings : as it is we rarely hear of them 

 until all interest in the subject has passed away.] Royal. 



Zoophytology. 



I may observe that the numbering of the Plates is conducted on 

 some new principle that requires explanation : here is the series in 

 this part : I., VII., VIII., VI., VII., VIII., VX. : some of these ap- 

 pear to face the wrong way, and the volume is referred to as 

 Vol. II II. These, I suppose, are the eccentricities of Microscopic 

 genius. 



The Present Position of the Salmon Question, considered Physio- 

 logically. By R. Knox, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c. 



The salmon question has two aspects, a physiological and an eco- 

 nomical. The first alone concerns me, and, I presume, all scientific 

 zoologists ; the second is not altogether a national question, although 

 the Bills submitted to Parliament annually on the subject of the 

 salmon fisheries might lead one to suppose that it was ; it is a question 

 of importance simply to the proprietors of salmon fisheries. The 

 adding to the amount of national food is no doubt at all times a matter 

 of importance ; but the supply of salmon in the markets of Britain can 

 scarcely ever interest the bulk of the nation : on this point I speak with 

 diffidence, the data not being before me ; but of certain facts any one 

 may assure himself by a few judiciously-timed visits to the great markets 

 for the supply of fish : " the increasing scarcity of salmon," " the falling 

 off in the supplies," " the inclemency of the season," are the never- 

 failing excuses for high prices, notwithstanding the successive dis- 

 coveries of ice- packing, stake and bag-net fishing, Norwegian, Dutch 

 and Labrador supplies. And now we are assured that all this is to be 

 overcome by artificial breeding of the salmon : I, for one, will be de- 

 lighted to see the accomplishment of this promise ; the chief mover in 

 it is one of my most esteemed personal friends, Dr. Esdaile : whatever 

 energy, prudence, tact and an intense love of scientific truth can effect 

 will be accomplished by my friend ; but the struggle in this case seems 

 to me to be with Nature, whose laws are either not known or not acted 

 on when, discovered. Great promises were held out in France that 

 supplies of the finest trout, equal to any demand, were immediately to 

 be furnished from the Moselle. Have these promises been fulfilled ? 

 During last autumn I looked into the markets of Paris and Brussels : 

 in those of Paris I saw a very few ill-conditioned salmon ; of trout there 

 were none : in Brussels, notwithstanding its advantages of railway - 

 XIV. I 



