49 



James Kerse (recalled). — Does not think kelts eat salmon smolts. They KELSO, 

 will only eat what is put before them. Once had a salmon from Berwick in 

 May with a herring inside it. Kelts get nothing in the water but animalcules. 

 Kelts will take smolts if they are put before them as a bait. 



They get well mended in fresh water before reaching the sea. 



T. T. Stoddart (recalled). — Salmon kelts will attack smolts. Has fished 

 with parr tail or small parrs, and caught kelts. When collected in bodies 

 they will not feed. A yellow substance is often exuding from the vent. Thinks 

 if they take smolts on the line, they will take them swimming naturally in the 

 river. Has seen fish in the spring hunting the parr. 



David Milne Home, Milne Graden, Ccldstream. — Is proprietor of fish- 

 ings in the Tweed and chairman of the Tweed Commissioners. Has resided 

 on Tweed side for 40 years. The Tweed Commissioners are most anxious to 

 assist the inquiry and to find a cure for the disease. 



This particular disease was first observed in the Tweed last February. The 

 Board receives monthly reports from its superintendents. Every year multitudes 

 of diseased fish are seen in all parts of the river in the spring months, i.e., 

 February, March, and April. Generally these diseased fish are kelts, but has 

 heard that clean fish have been seen this year in a diseased state. Thinks the 

 disease is not of the same character as formerly. It has distinguishing features 



particularly fungus on the fish — which he has never seen before. Many of 



the same causes which existed before, and caused death, exist this year. The 

 fact of the fish being kept six months in impure river water causes unhealthi- 

 ness. The want of nourishment for four months is another cause. The salmon 

 gets food only in the sea, and becomes emaciated in the river. The exhaustion 

 from spawning would also render the fish more liable to disease. 



Owing to the circumstance of the spawning beds being destroyed by floods 

 and ice last year, half the number of fish usually spawning did not spawn, and 

 in consequence the fish became unhealthy, and so susceptible of attacks by 

 parasites. 



Some years ago the Commissioners attempted to obtain information on the 

 habits of fish, and a circular was issued containing a series of questions, 

 among which was the following : — 



Question " Is the spawning time ever retarded by ice, snow, or floods, or 

 " any other natural cause ?" 



Answers were given by the following witnesses : — 



" Mitchell. — Spawing fish fall off the redds when frost sets in, and cease 

 spawning until the weather becomes fresh, when they resume operations. 



" Smith. — Hard frost and snow when of long continuance retard the 

 " spawning of all kinds of fish. 



" Millar. — Large floods and ice retard spawning, and are certain destruction 

 " to spawning beds. 



" Pi-ingle. — Spawning is retarded by floods and ice, and the fish are driven 

 " from the streams into pools." 



To the Question whether " during the course of the winter or spring dead 

 " fish have been seen more frequently than during any other time, and to what 

 " cause can these deaths be attributed ? Are they chiefly male or female fish, 

 " and have they spawned or not P" the following answers were given : — 



" Poston. — Dead fish are frequently seen in early spring. They are ehie»y 

 " males, either unspawned or not fully spawned. 



" Mitchell. — Dead fish are seldom seen till after the new year. They consist 

 " chiefly of male fish, either unspawned or only partially spawned. A good 

 " many of the deaths result from bites, which appear to mortify in frosty 

 " weather. The rays of the gills are in numerous cases grown together, and 

 " the milt in some cases is discoloured. 



" Smurthivaite. — Dead fish are mostly male, apparently from inflammation. 



" Weatherstone. — Dead 'salmon never seen until end of January or 

 " beginning of February. I attribute deaths principally to want of food and 



P 712. D 



