Has never examined fish internally. A dead fish was examined, but found DUMFRIES, 

 nothing unusual. Is not, however, competent ,to judge. Has seen perfect — — - 



fish with worms inside. 



The grayling accidentally escaped in 1856 out of a pond belonging to 

 Mr. Shaw, of Drumlanrig. 



Thomas Barker Stewart, of Sanquhar. — Has heard that the disease has 

 been observed at Sanquhar on salmon and sea trout. 



R. W. Millar {recalled). — Fish have never been known to be diseased in 

 lochs. Branksome loch contains trout, which were supplied to it from the 

 Teviot, but there is no disease in it. 500 dead fish have been found in the 

 Nith in a season. The fish may possibly contract the disease on their heads 

 by poking about on the ridds. Has seen smolts, on which the fungus grew 

 longer. Salt is a remedy. As soon as a fish gets to the sea the sore becomes 

 well. Salt might be tipped into the river to be carried down among the 

 fish. 



McA. Leny {recalled). — Can corroborate Mr. Millar's statement. A friend of 

 his put in a pair of brown trout from the river Ae into his pond at Carmichael. 

 The pond was netted 18 months after, and no trace of the disease was 

 observed. 



J. Maxwell-Witham, Kirkconnel. — No disease has been seen among the 

 salmon in Loch Kinder, which communicates with the Nith. It is a large 

 loch, a mile long, and 20 feet deep. 



Mechanics' Hall, Annan, Wednesday, September 24th, 1879. 



Present : 

 Frank Buckland, Spencer Walpole, and Archibald Young, Esquires. 



James Bonner, general dealer, Annan. — Has owned fisheries in the river 

 Annan for five years. They are partly in tidal water. The fisheries are greatly 

 on the increase, and have been increasing at the back end of the year ever 

 since he has been here. They have also increased in the spring, but during the 

 summer there is low water. 



The close season begins on 27th August. The chief run of salmon is 

 about two months after that date. 



First saw disease in the river in the fishing season of 1877 — in the spring — 

 when he began netting. This was above Annan, in non-tidal water. The 

 diseased fish were kelts. The fish had white spots about the head, fins, and 

 tail. 



The fungus grows on the white spots, like scurf, and rubs off like scurf. 



Has never cut into the flesh. Threw the fish back into the river, as it would 

 be illegal to kill an " unclean " fish, or even to bury it, under the Solway 

 Act. 



The first fish he saw were kelts, but has seen one or two clean fish diseased 

 that had been in the river some time. Never saw fish come up the river with 

 the disease. The disease comes from above — say, two miles above Annan, and 

 it has been known above there. It wa3 worse in 1878 than in 1877. In 1877, 

 when he first saw it, it was cold weather, and it has been the same each year. 

 The disease died away about May. It never died away from the fish that were 

 coming down, but the fish were cured in the sea. Is quite sure of this. The 

 fish kept their heads out of the water as if to get rid of the smarting. The salt 

 killed the disease. 



Some of the fish had only the white spots, which is the first stage of the 

 disease. 



Salmon-trout have also been affected. Has not noticed other fish. Only 

 fishes for salmon. 



Where he fishes, the water is pure. There is no pollution to account for the 

 unhealthy fish. 



The land is not more drained than formerly. 



