15 



they feed on salmon spawn. It would be well to kill all kelts, because they eat ^[qh^" 



young salmon. Trout will eat young salmon. _ 



Would have the whole river opened up later to kill the fish till they begin 

 to spawn. Only 10 are killed by rod for every 100 left in the upper pools. 



County Buildings, Ayr, Friday, September 26th, 1879. 



Present : 



Frank Buckland, Spencer Walpole, and Archibald Young, 



Esquires. 



The Maruuis of Ailsa, Cassilis House, Ayr. — Is the principal pro- 

 prietor of fishings in the Doon. Has fishings both in the upper and lower 

 waters. The nets have been off the river for some years. Has artificially bred 

 fish for two years. In 18/7 put in 60,000 young fish, and from 150,000 to 

 200,000 fish in the following season. Has reared the Salmo fontinalis. 



Has noticed these fish (cocks) affected with disease when wounded by fighting. 

 Has tried to cure it, and last year cured three or four. Only one died that he 

 knows of. Mixed two table-spoonfuls of salt in 1 h, pints of water, and put 

 the fish in till they became sickly, and then took them out. One dose was 

 generally sufficient to cure them. Gave them a second bath in a fortnight, if 

 necessary. 



Was abroad when the disease first appeared. Never saw river fish affected. 

 Directed the Provost of Ayr in June to send any affected fish to Mr. Buckland. 

 Understands this was done. Has lived on the Doon this year since 5th August. 

 Has fished occasionally. Has found that the disease has entirely disappeared. 

 Has killed fish with ova. Even with fish discoloured there was no disease. 

 Has formed no theory on the subject. 



The S. fontinalis were in his private breeding ponds. The fungus generally 

 began on the shoulder, and spread to the gills, appearing first on wounds. 

 The fish looked much the same after immersion in the salt water. The fish 

 referred to were like the specimens produced. . The fish that died was 

 nearly covered with fungus. Thinks it began with a scurfy mark. The ponds 

 are a long way from the river, eight miles away. There is no disease in the 

 river near them. 



Thinks any fish pent will get fungousy. Cannot say if wounded fish are 

 always so affected. Heard of bad cases in the Doon. 



The Doon is polluted. It rises above Loch Doon. The fish go above the 

 Loch. The Loch keeps the supply of water equable in the river. 



The fish did not communicate the disease to other fish in the pond. It was 

 only wounded fish that were affected. Knows that fish in captivity are 

 liable to fungus. His fish were similar to fish generally so affected. 



Has had fungus among his young fish before. White globules appear on 

 them and they die. The umbilical bag gets covered. It looks like a cottony 

 growth in course of time. The eggs when dead are also affected. Has never 

 observed any other disease. When they have absorbed the umbilicus the fish 

 are not affected. 



His fishery has been crowded, and he has never had fungus disease. The 

 water is partly from a spring and partly from surface drainage. The flow 

 of water is through a 2-inch pipe not running full. 



There are not too many fish in the Doon. The water has been low and few- 

 fish have been caught. Once thought the pollutions had caused the disease, 

 but does not now think so. 



When the fish are found dead in a river, it is a bad plan to leave them. 

 Would bury any that he saw. There is nothing against doing this in the 

 Scotch law. 



There are lots of fish up the Doon now, but they will not take the fly. They 

 did not run till the nets were off. 



The spring fishing was better last year than the later fishing. 



