32 



CA RLIS LE. Saw one large spot a quarter of an inch deep, as large as a pin's head. It 



looked as if it had heen drilled out. It was perfectly clean, without filament. 

 Filaments only appeared when the fish got weak. It took weeks to grow. Has 

 watched individual fish for more than two weeks in a pool dying. 



Has seen fish in aquaria with fungus, which is an effect of disease and not a 

 cause. Knows nothing of the origin of the disease. Thinks it was due to the 

 large quantity of fish and deficiency of food, or through fish not spawning in 

 18/6. The fish were allowed to lie putrid and caused the disease. It is due, 

 in fact, to overstocking. 



A country uninhabited and with rivers unfished might have larger stocks of 

 fish than are found in Scotland. Nature supplies a remedy where there are no 

 men. Has seen fish cured in fresh water without going to the sea. 



Has seen fish rising with a dark mark in their head. Is sure the fish had 

 not gone down to salt water. The fish were cured during hot dry weather in 

 the summer. 



Thinks the diseased fish should certainly be removed. 



Lives at Scotch Dyke, where the Esk is singularly pure. It is a little 

 polluted at Langholm, but this does not affect his water. 



The dead fish were numerous in the autumn of 1877 in the Esk. Thinks 

 the disease was carried by the sea from river to river. Has heard of disease in 

 the Tweed. Cannot say how it got there from the Esk. 

 Thinks it unlikely the disease was carried by birds. 



It has nearly disappeared this year.'as it did last year. There are still some 

 cases. His man told him a week ago of a case. A few odd cases may carry 

 it through the summer. 



Would destroy the kelts. Anglers should be able to take kelts after a 

 certain time. They are in the river in June. A kelt should not be considered 

 a kelt after the 1st May. Many people suggest 15th April. Thinks himself 

 1st May is a fair date. The salmon laws have over-preserved kelts. The 

 kelts get covered with lice, and spring fish are affected by them ; and so all 

 the fish get lowered in condition. 



Has no evidence to prove that the sea cures the disease. Takes the fact of 

 clean-run fish being taken diseased in tidal waters] as evidence that the sea 

 does not cure the disease. 



The Esk now is not overstocked. 



In 1876 and 1877 it was overstocked. There was a great run in the autumn 



of 1877- 



Has never heard of a similar outbreak before. 



A gentleman living in Langholm has been in the north-west territory of 

 North America, and has seen the same disease there. He says all the fish are 

 destroyed by it. In those rivers where the Indians prevent the salmon getting 

 up, there is no disease. It must be nature's remedy to get rid of over- 

 stocking. 



Has never heard of a similar disease before. Has spoken to many anglers, 

 who have never heard of anything like it. Thinks that lowering the condition 

 and vitality of the fish tends to invite the disease. 



Isaac Waite, fisherman, Brough-by-Sands. — Fishes with a haaf net. Began 

 fishing 20 years ago. Fishes from 2nd February to 31st August. 



Saw two fish caught at Brough Marsh in June or July 1878 ; one was an 

 old kelt, the other was a clean fish that had been up the river. The clean fish 

 had fungus on its nose, on the dorsal fin, and on the tail. Thinks the fresh- 

 run fish had been up the river, because it had lost its silver colour, and 

 because it had lost its sea lice. 



It is salt water where he caught the fish, but fresh when the tide is down. 

 There are shrimps there. Never saw a fish like it before. Has not heard of 

 other fishermen seeing it before. The opinion is that there was an over- 

 stocking of the river in September 1877. Saw many fish go up, and thousands 

 might go up that he did not see. The impression was that overstocking was 

 the cause. Has never been to Armathwaite. 



The fishermen have never seen the disease. Neither shrimps, nor flukes, 

 nor sparlings have it. Never saw sea-trout in his distinct. 



The river was low, and the fish were caught by nets. He buried them. 

 Cannot say if they would have recovered. Buried several kelts that had died 

 naturally. Has buried all he has found dead lately. Has not had more than 

 six in two years. There were less fish this year thin in the two previous 



