33 



years. Seasons vary. The water was colder this season than before, owing to CARLISLE, 

 the floods. 



It would be better if the dogs were not allowed to remain in the river. 



Simon Bell, fisherman. — Has fished in the Eden for 20 years. First saw 

 disease in March 1878. Examined many diseased salmon and cut them open ; 

 there was a part quite yellow, unlike salmon flesh. They had white spots 

 outside on the head and tail. Has always seen diseased fish with fungus 

 attached from three or four miles below Warwick Bridge to just above it. 

 Has seen many score and taken them out. 



Never saw one in the Coops. Has had Mr. Parker's net fishery for two years 

 The fish had all been up the river, and were going down. It was the young 

 fish coming down are poorly and in bad condition. At first saw more 

 kelts than clean fish. Has seen diseased kelts all his life. Never saw white 

 fungus. Some of them got better and others die. Has also fished the Esk. 

 Never saw fungus on dead kelts before. Never heard of the same disease 

 before March 1878. The disease has reduced the stock of salmon in the river. 



Thinks the pollutions may have something to do with it. To open up 

 Armathwaite would do good and give more room. Thinks, in fact is sure, 

 that the disease is communicated from fish to fish. 



The weather of 1878-9 was cold. The water, early in 1878, was low. 



The old disease on kelts was like moss. The disease this year was like white 

 cotton wool — like the specimens produced. In the old disease there was no 

 mark on the head. The new disease causes cancerous marks on the head, 

 and it eats away the fins. 



Agrees that the dead fish lying in the river caused the disease. Saw 15 fish 

 in 20 yards lying dead just below his fishery ; they were brought up by an eddy. 

 Got orders to bury them, and did so. His fishery is 10 miles below Arma- 

 thwaite by water. The last fish he got was in the middle of August 1879. It 

 was alive and very fungousy over the head. It weighed 18 lbs. All the sea- 

 trout he got in May — perhaps six — were diseased. 



Thinks the water is overcrowded with rubbishing scullies. Formerly people 

 took 100 stone of scullies in a week — 14 lbs. to the stone. The water is so 

 much preserved that the fish grow too fast. They do not get down to the 

 sea. The rubbishing fish feed en sewage, old dogs, or anything. Some of 

 them are 6 lbs. in weight. Many scullies are diseased and die. They have 

 the disease on the head and the back of the tail and on the fins. 



The diseased salmon have diseased intestines. They are quite yellow in the 

 stomach. Could not say as to the liver. 



The rods ought to be able to take kelts in the spring. 



The Kearne joins the Eden at Warwick Hall. Has got three trout in it in 

 three years, half to three-quarters of a mile below the Kearne, covered with 

 fungus. 



There is a paper-mill there. The stuff that comes down is the same colour 

 as the stuff on the salmon's head. It is froth, like a mass of scum, 6 feet 

 wide. The pollution is increasing. The esparto grass takes some soda to 

 dissolve the vegetable matter. The trout had no white head till this year 

 and last year. Has caught them up to the end of August. 



Robert Leach, Edenbank. — Is a freeholder, and owns a fishery on the 

 river. Fishes with the shoulder net. Has seen diseased fish. It was most 

 prevalent in 1878. It was quite right to bury the diseased fish. Approves of 

 what the Eden Board did in the matter. Has lived on the Eden all his life. 

 Never before heard of or saw such a thing. The disease is atmospherical. 

 The river ought to be disinfected. Does not think overstocking is the cause. 

 The fish were as numerous a few years after 18G5 as they have been since. 

 There was no disease then. 



P 712. 



