52 



KELSO. be full of food. Young herrings have been got in the stomachs of fish as far 

 up as Kelso, where they must have been a fortnight in the river. 



Since 1860-1 there has been no season similar to last season, and no such 

 obstruction to spawning. One of the causes is to be found in the meteorological 

 circumstances of the year. In Germany at the Government establishment, 

 great attention is paid to the state of the atmosphere, and returns should be 

 obtained from places here in the winter. Mr. Paulin keeps records of the 

 temperature of the river at a point 6 miles above the mouth, and sends 

 them to the Scottish Meteorological Society. It is desirable to have similar 

 returns from places further up-stream. No such records are kept. 



There is a water-gauge at Kelso to show the height of water in the river. 

 A very good index exists at the bridge there, but no record of the height 

 of the river is kept. 



Approves of burying the dead fish. Is not of opinion that the disease is 

 contagious. The fungus will only grow from spores. Mr. Stirling has 

 attempted to propagate it ; but it is impossible to grow it from its branches. 



The Tweed Commissioners transgressed the law by taking out fish not dead, 

 but thought this so necessary that they ran the risk. 



Agrees with Mr. Kerse that kelts should all go back to sea, to grow into 

 large fish. 



Thinks the six months' confinement, the impurity of the water, and the 

 difficulty of expelling the ova, all contributed to the disease. The fish this 

 year could not make their redds : they ran against the frozen gravel with their 

 heads, and so got injured. The fungus attached itself to the head, as the 

 spores floating down the stream would first touch the head. 



Cannot explain why the Tay is said not to be affected. Much unwillingness 

 exists to admit the existence of disease. 



Facilities should be given to the fish to get up and down over the caulds. 

 The Tweed Commissioners have no power to order the opening up of caulds. 

 At one cauld, the water-bailiffs caught 40 or 50 fish, and liftedthem over, the 

 Commissioners having authorised them to catch the fish and lift them over. 

 Great difficulty has been experienced in dealing with caulds. Cannot say if the 

 millers put down the hatches on Sundays. The Tweed Act is defective on 

 this point. The Scotch Salmon Act enforces the putting down of hatches in 

 mill leats, but the Tweed Commissioners cannot do so. The general Scotch 

 law is to the effect that the water shall pass over the caulds and not down 

 the mill leats. Such a power should be given to the Tweed Commissioners. 

 But the caulds are generally built very loosely, so that the water, even when 

 raised by the stoppage of the leats, would percolate through among the stones. 

 Moreover, if the mill leat sluices were put down, the salmon which often come 

 into the leats from want of hecks at the foot of the leats, would be left dry, 

 and the miller or his servants would then catch them. In fact they have been 

 known to let down the sluices for this purpose. It .is very desirable that the 

 Commission should take account of these serious defects in the Tweed Act, 

 and recommend Government to bring in a short Act to amend it. Measures 

 should be adopted to stop the abominable pollutions which sicken the fish, 

 and to enable the fish, when they come into the river for spawning, to reach 

 the spawning beds quickly, and then quit the river as fast as possible. 



_ Thinks the fungus attacks the fish in consequence of the fish being pre- 

 viously unhealthy. It attaches itself to fish already diseased. Has. not noticed 

 it in previous years on diseased fish. Has heard the evidence, that it has been 

 seen on diseased fish in previous years. Was surprised to hear this. Lives 

 nearer the tideway than Mr. Kerse. At Berwick, the fungus is said to have 

 appeared on fish in the tideway fresh from the sea. It is possible that these 

 fish may have gone up the river and turned back again after contracting 

 disease in the river. 



No doubt the fungus kills the fish. The irritation to the fish is caused by 

 the fungus pushing its roots into the flesh. Cannot explain why healthy fish 

 have been, as alleged, affected by Saprolegnia. Is not aware that clean fish 

 have been attacked. Spawned fish have been attacked largely. If clean fish 

 have been attacked, this fact is an objection to his view. The disease may 

 be found in rivers where his views are inapplicable. 



William Byers, warehouseman, Langholm. — Was formerly surveyor in 

 Government service in British Columbia. Has fished with the rod there. 



