On the growth of the salmon, from the egg to the adult / by R. Knox.

  • Knox, Robert, 1791-1862.
Date:
[1855]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the growth of the salmon, from the egg to the adult / by R. Knox. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    2/10 (page 4792)
    unity of the organisalion in all that ever lived ; the law of serial unity which makes the living and past organic worlds one, and not many. Nevertheless, to man, species is everything in a practical sense; for, although specific character and structure explain but little in the philosophy of zoology, specialities are the first steps which lead to more important inquiries: without this step philosophic zoology, geology, palaeontology, could not be said to exist: hence the intrinsic and enduring value of the labours of the immortal Cuvier. R. Knox. Meissen House, Upper Clapton, June, 1855. On the Growth of the Salmon, from the Egg to the Adult. By R. Knox, M.D., F.R.S.E., &c. All who have angled in such rivers as the Tweed, frequented by salmon, sea trout and river trout, must soon, if they observe at all, have become acquainted with the following facts or appearances:— 1. That river or common trout, whether large or small, may be readily enough distinguished from every other kind of fish caught in the river; occasionally, though rarely, the young trout may be con- founded, when about the length of the little finger, with a small fish called the parr, to whose history 1 shall presently advert, but, in the fresh specimen, and with a good sight, the young trout may always be distinguished from the parr. 2. That these small fish, called parr, are to be found in the rivers frequented by salmon or salmon trout, from the sources to their em- bouchures, and in such rivers only. But the converse of this is doubted; first, by Mr. Young, of Invershin, who says that there are rivers frequented by parr, into which neither salmon nor salmon trout have ever penetrated; secondly, although I fished the Tyne, in Scot- land, a great many times, and had it fished for me by skilful anglers, who knew the rivei»well, I never could find a parr; thirdly, I was pre- sent at the fishing of a stream on the East coast of England (North Riding of Yorkshire), on the estate of Mr. Wharton, near Guisborough : the streaiu was fished with a net (which took everything), from a mill-dam insurmountable for salmon to the sea, yet no parrs were found : nothing, indeed, was taken but—1st, sea-trout of various sizes ; 2nd, smolls covered with scales, on their way to the sea; and 3rdly,