XX 



illustrated by the following evidence : — A witness at Dumfries 

 stated, " the river is filled with vermin, i.e. grayling. In 1877 the 

 " river was fuller of fish than ever, and overstocking increased the 

 " disease." 



" This river is overstocked and polluted with small fish." 



" He fished about 60 yards with a small net and landed three 

 t( washing-pails full of grayling. 



11 There are many pike, trout, and eels and roach in the Nith. 

 " They are all affected. Eels are not caught as an industry." 



In the Eden we were told there are large numbers of scullies 

 or chub. " They are a great nuisance, and power should be given 

 " to remove them. The water is overcrowded with scullies. 

 " Formerly people took 100 stone of scullies in the week, 14 lbs. 

 " to the stone. Many scullies are diseased and die. The disease 

 " is on the head, on the back of the tail, and on the fins." 



In confirmation of the fact that overcrowding of fish will 

 produce fungus growth, it is important to note that (as all breeders 

 of salmon by artificial means know only too well), when the young 

 of ealmonidae have attained a certain growth, if they are too crowded 

 in the hatching troughs, they at first breathe with great difficulty, 

 and ultimately die with the gills propped widely open by a growth 

 of fungus. If the fish are allowed to remain in the water, in 

 a few hours the fungus will spread completely over the whole of 

 the body, growing equally from all parts of the body, so that 

 finally it assumes the appearance of thistledown. 



There is no cure for the disease except immediately removing all 

 the dead and dying fish, and greatly reducing the numbers of the. 

 survivors by removing them to fresh homes. 



5. Obstruction by Weirs. 



The next point for consideration is the connexion of weirs 

 with the existence and furtherance of the salmon disease. 



Many of the fish get blocked at Armathwaite, on the Eden ; 

 they fight at this weir in hundreds, and knock themselves to pieces. 

 « There were a great many at Christmas 1877. There were hun- 

 " dreds and thousands of them. The water was Ioav all the Avinter. 

 " The first good flood was in April. The fish were in the pool all 

 ' f that time. There was no water over the weir during the frost." 



" In 1878 there might be a thousand fish attempting to jump, 

 " and only 50 in previous years." 



" The kelts are overcrowded in March and April. There are a 

 " great many kelts which ought to go to the seain the river. They 

 " collect above and not below the weirs." 



" There is overcrowding above the weir at Melrose. There is no 

 M pass. Coming up to spawn the fish collect to a certain extent 

 " below the caulds, but generally get over." 



" Owing to drainage there is often at the mill caulds a collection 

 " of fish in the middle of April; 12 or 14 fish in a body may 

 " be seen going down. 



" The male fish got up easily, and the females were left behind 

 " atWalkerburn. Hundreds lay there because the water fell, and 

 " they could not get up." 



