AS OBSERVED IN SCOTLAND. 141 



proved then, upon undeniable premises, that the par can be nothing- else 

 than the fry of the salmon ; and we will now discover a few points of 

 similarity in these fish, and relate a singular circumstance, which about 

 a year ago turned our attention to this subject. And first, as to the simi- 

 larity between them. Both have the tail forked — the gills marked in 

 the same manner — the ventral fins strong" and blackish ; while in trout 

 they have a less fixed and generally yellowish colour — the dorsal one 

 more extended than in the latter fish — they have both an activity pro- 

 portioned to their sizes, and an equal affection for rapid streams. 



The external shape, although not fully developed in the par, is yet 

 similar : it wants the proportions of a grown fish, no more than the foal 

 those of the horse. Its head, indeed, is somewhat rounder — requiring 

 elongation — the back too straight, and displaying a want of strength : 

 but still the principal points are alike, discovering an intimate and 

 mutual kinship. And here an objection will be taken to the colour of 

 the par, and its want of those silvery scales which belong to the salmon ; 

 but let it be remembered that as yet it is in a manner an unclean fish, 

 not having proceeded to the sea ; how then can it be expected to retain 

 this brilliant covering, when salmon themselves in ascending rivers 

 throw it off, and become, in some cases, un distinguishable from a large, 

 common, ill- fed trout ? We believe, however, that the young fry, when 

 first produced, exhibit a coat of scales which lies on them till spring, 

 when many descend in shoals to the salt water, and the others remaining 

 cast it off ; nor does it grow again until the end of autumn, when they 

 are prepared to journey sea- ward with the floods which happen about 

 that season. Nor is such an hypothesis altogether imaginary ; for we 

 come to the relation of a circumstance, the happening of which grounded 

 our belief on this theory, and no assailable one it is, if our eyes, which 

 are good, did not deceive us. Last spring, after the time when smelts 

 generally descend, we chanced to capture a few of them in St. Mary's 

 Loch, the streams about which are a favourite breeding-place for salmon. 

 These were of a large kind, and had been prevented from joining the 

 spring shoals by their inability to discover the outlet to the lake ; they 

 were soft and loose in the scale, but, seemingly, an enticing bait for 

 pike, which frequent a smaller sheet of water immediately above St. 

 Mary's. 



In the afternoon, happening to use one of these smelts on our pike- 

 tackle, we remarked how its scales came off in great numbers, discovering 

 beneath a perfect par, not to be mistaken in any one respect. This 

 accidental discovery we further confirmed by repeated experiments ; and 



