ry diminutive. The opinion generally received in
Scotland seems to be, if I may judge from the evidence given
before the House of Commons, that the Smolts go down to the sea in
the spring after they are spawned, and that they return in the
summer and autumn of the same year as Grilse. When they return,
and what size they are on their first visit, I have hitherto been
unable to ascertain; but I think I have succeeded in proving that
they do not go to the sea so soon as is generally believed, nor do
any of the witnesses give their reasons for thinking that they do.
I should very much like to learn what evidence they have to offer
in behalf of this opinion.

I remember seeing an article in the "Scotsman," perhaps about
twelve months ago, in which it was stated that Dr. Knox had made
some important discoveries in the natural history of the Salmon
and Herring, both in their food and propagation, and, if I
recollect aright, it stated that he had ascertained that the eggs
remained several months in the gravel, and that then, in a few
days or weeks after, they (_i.e._ the fish hatched from them) were
so much grown as to go down to the sea; but none of the data which
enabled him to arrive at this conclusion were given, and since
then I have heard nothing about the matter. As it is so long since
I read this article, I may have quoted it incorrectly, but I
believe its substance was what I have stated.

The only conclusive evidence I can find about the hatching of
Salmon fry is that of Mr. George Hogarth (second Parl. Report, p.
92), and his account agrees with my own: he states that he took
Salmon spawn from the spawning beds, and by keeping it freely
supplied with fresh water, he succeeded in hatching some of the
eggs; he gives drawings of the appearance of the fry in three or
four different stages, from the egg to the age of eight days (see
Appendix to second Parl. Report), that the young fry, by keeping
them well supplied with fresh water, were very lively and vigorous
for three weeks, but that they after this time appeared to grow
languid and uneasy, and as they would eat nothing they died when
one inch long. Unfortunately he does not state at what time of the
year they were hatched, but if this were in March or April, which
I see no reason to doubt, it is sufficient to prove that they
would not reach the size that Smolts are when they leave the river
for the sea; for supposing them to be hatched the last week in
March, an