ZOOLOGY. 



ON THE SALMONIDiE OF THE EDEN, FIFE; WITH REMARKS 

 ON THEIR CONDITION IN OTHER RIVERS. 



By ROBERT WALKER, F.G.S.E. 



THE Eden cannot now with much propriety be called an 

 important salmon river, whatever its condition in this 

 respect may have been in the past. It is possible that, from 

 its level and sluggish nature, it never was very well adapted to 

 the active habits of that species. Still it is a river frequented 

 more or less every year by the salmon (Salmo salar) ; and in 

 favourable seasons they endeavour, in considerable numbers, to 

 force their way up the water. If the pollutions that are at 

 present poured into it were in some degree abated, and some 

 provision made to enable the fish to get over the perpendicular 

 dam dykes erected here and there across the stream, which 

 would allow them to reach the upper portions of the water, 

 where there are some apparently good spawning beds, there 

 seems no good reason why salmon should not be more abun- 

 dant in this river than is the case at present. Whether, under 

 the most favourable conditions, they would become sufficiently 

 numerous to be of much consequence to any one except anglers, 

 might be a rather problematical matter to determine. At all 

 events, if their number were increased, they would afford excel- 

 lent sport to the followers of that art ; and as this is an open 

 river, all classes would have a like opportunity of enjoying the 

 sport and sharing the produce. % Besides, if we wish to take a 

 utilitarian view of the subject, it may be observed that salmon 

 caught in this way are always used as food ; the non-angling 

 public would receive a proportion of the benefit, according to 

 the extent in which they were caught, as much as if they were 

 obtained by any other means. 



Formerly salmon were caught in the Eden by anglers, and 

 it may be by others, from Guard Bridge to a considerable 



