SALMON IN FRESH WATER.

West Coast Times, Issue 350, 6 November 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

SALMON IN FRESH WATER.

The following letter from Mr G. Anderson, of Glasgow, to the editor of t the " Field," gives an interesting account of an experiment conducted by the former to ascertain the possibility of rearing salmon in fresh water lakes or ponds where there is no access to the sea : — As the conclusion of my long-pending experiment may be looked on with some interest by all who have studied the curious anomalies of salmon life, it may be well to put the detail on record iv your columns a little more fully than was done in the very hurried note I sent on the 20th June, and which I had not intended for publication. The parr were got from Stormontfield about this time in 1862 ; they were then two years old, and they consisted of about thirty specimens that even at that date had not assumed the silver scale of the smolt. This circumstance being exceptional, may perhaps appear a weak point in the experiment, as possibly it may be that they were the weeds of the family, or dwarfs, that under no circumstances would have attained full salmon growth. I do not, however, myself attach much importance to it, and believe that they were only a little late. Their being got from Stormontfield puts their authenticity as veritable salmon beyond doubt. The conveyance proved very difficult — only eighty miles by rail, but with a troublesome break at Glasgow ; and, notwithstanding the proved merits of Eyre's fishcarrier, I think nine died on the way. Twenty-one were placed in the pond, which is in every respect a most suitable one for such an experiment, as it is well supplied with minnows and other natural feeding, and that for some time was supplemented. For upwards of a year it was known that many of the fish were alive and thriving, but latterly, from the depth of the pond, it has only been known that there were some good size fish in it, but they were rarely seen. The pond was run off for the first time on Wednesday last, when it was found that only three of the salmon survived ; but they were all of the same size, bright, lively and health}', but very ill- grown. One had jumped out on the ice, and was sent to you some two winters ago, but whether the remaining seventeen had been in some mysterious way poached out, or been destroyed by the eels, of which there were a great many, or had died a natural death, or from unnatural confinement cannot be known. Out of twenty grayling fry put in a year ago, and now two years old, only five survived, and were from £lb to lib weight, which is rapid growing 5 the death of the other grayling is easily accounted for, as when they were still only fry the salmon must have been near their present size, and very capable of devouring their visitors ; the wonder rather is that any escaped. I mention the circumstance to state everything fairly, but I do not see any reason to suppose similarity of cause in the death of the salmon and the death of the grayling. The bearing of the results on M. Coste's statements may be variously estimated : it must be held proved that salmon confined to fresh water do not all necessarily die for want of the sea, or if they do die of it that their death is a slow process, extending over a number of years. On the other hand, I think it may be held equally proved that they will not thrive under such circumstances, but die off by degrees, the longest survivors remaining such miserable anatomies as to leave it extremely improbable that they could propogate their species, or originate a race of fresh-water salmon. I admit, however, that the experiment is not so complete but that I should like to renew it under slightly altered circumstances, viz., taking, to begin with, parr or smolts that were not exceptionally late, and to have opportunity to examine the fish occasionally every year about spawning time to see their condition, and if with ripe spawn and milt, to impregnate and endeavor to hatch it and rear the young, in order to investigate the performance or otherwise of the migratory instinct, and so follow the experiment to its entire conclusion, or prove that there is no result attainable beyond what the present experiment has given. At any rate, for some years I shall not be able to enter on such a course, but would be much interested to hear of some one else taking it up. When is a nose like a bell ? — When it is (w)rung. "What do the Arabs of the desert live on, pa?" asked a roguish girl of her father. '< Fudge, Nelly, that is an old conundrum. They live on the sand which is (sandwiches) there." "Yes, but, pa, how do they get 'em ?" "Well, really, Nelly, You have me there. I give it up." " Why, pa, you know the sons of Ham are bread, and mustard (bred and mustered) in the wilderness." " Come, come, my daughter, that is too killing ; don't say another word." "Oh, yes do tell me what they eat on their sandwiches ? " '• Eat on 'em j why, what do they eat on 'em ? " " Butter, to be sure." " Butter, how do they get their butter ? " Why you know, pa, that when Lot's wife was turned into a pillar of salt, all the family but her ran into the wilderness." Brigham "Knew Heb Face was Famixiae." — The Gentiles relate many stories at the expense of the leading patriarch of the Mormon church. There is a legend that one day a woman went to Brigham for counsel touching some alleged oppression by an officer of the church. Brigham, like a true politician, assumed to know her ; but when it became necessary to record her case, hesitated and said : " Let me see, sister — I forget your name." "My name ?" was tho indignant reply; "why, lam your wife!" "When did I marry you?" The woman informed the " President," who referred to an account book in his desk, and then said :— " Well, I believe you are right. I knew your face was familiar!"