Noticed the fungus, but no sores without fungus. ANNAX. 



The disease was worse in 18/7 and 1878 than in 1879. 



There are not so many fish in the river this year as before. 



Never saw the disease in the sea. It is always in the fresh water. 



Cannot say if the sores caused by fighting predispose to the disease. 



The Annan is a late river. Cannot say about extending the close time. 

 It is much about the same as the Nith and might go on to the. same date 

 (10th September). 



Has no idea as to the cause of the disease. Cannot say if it is overstocking. 

 Never heard of it before 1876-7. Has formed no idea as to the cause except 

 that the fish cannot get away after spawning, owing to deficiency of water, and 

 if they are kept too long in fresh water they might contract the disease. The 

 kelts are generally away before May. This year they were kept up till June, 

 and this might cause the disease. 



Never saw any slimy coating on the gills. 



The river was very low in 1878 and 1879 in the spring months — about half 

 full. 



There are no grayling in the Annan, but yellow trout ; no roach or dace ; 

 some pike. Burn trout are affected. There are not too many burn trout. 



There are a few herons. 



The diseased fish should be taken out of the river altogether. 



The fish are better after the 15th September than any time of the year. 

 They are red, but not affected inside. Cannot say if they get red by lying on 

 the sand. 



Recollects a great destruction of salmon in the Solway 10 years ago. Was 

 not on the Solway then. 



Knows the Annan as far as Moffat. Saw the disease first in 1877 five or six 

 miles above Annan. Cannot say where it first appeared, but it was on kelts 

 coming down. Thinks it broke out here before it was in the Nith. The 

 Nith and Annan headwaters are close together. The disease may have occurred 

 through the fish being kept too long in the river after spawning. Saw the 

 disease first in the ? spring, probably caused by the fish which went up in 

 August. The sooner they get away the better. 



Never saw fish coming from the sea with the disease ; it is a river 

 disease. 



No extra drainage has taken place in the country lately. There are no 

 pollutions and no factories. Cannot say if Annan and Moffat drain into the 

 river. 



Capt. Morden Yorston, Irvine House, Canobie. — Has come here to 

 give evidence about the Esk. Has paid much attention to the disease, and 

 is interested in a large portion of the Esk and Liddle above Longtown. 



In the spring of 1878 had his attention drawn to diseased fish. Saw 13 dead 

 fish above his house. Saw them also in the river in March. Noticed spots on 

 the fish. Is speaking of the Esk. Saw spots from the size of a sixpence to 

 the size of a man's hand. Some fish were slightly affected, others so languid 

 from disease that they could scarcely move. Noticed a quantity of fungus near 

 the nose and head. The back fins and tail had almost rotted away. 



The fungus is the cause of the disease. One gentleman, a naturalist, told 

 him he had made ponds which had no connection with the river, and had put 

 parr and trout in it, and in a short time they most, if not all, of them had 

 fungus. Thinks it is a spontaneous growth. 



Is not sure whether the fungus in the case he refers to is the same as this 

 salmon disease. Cannot say if the fungus observed in aquaria is the same as 

 the fungus on diseased salmon. 



Cannot say if the white spot is the first symptom. The spots are irregular. 

 Most of the diseased fish had the disease about the nose and head. Cannot 

 say if it arose from rubbing in the sand. This has been their habit in all ages. 

 Old fishermen have noticed spotted fish in February and March for 40 years. 

 It only attracted general attention last year. The disease has probably always 

 existed, and lately special circumstances have caused it to become more 

 virulent. 



Never cut down into the sores to examine the fish. 



Saw the disease, first in March 1878 in the Esk. The highest spot he has 

 seen it is Langholm, but has heard of it all the way up. A few clean fish have 



