76 



EDINBURGH. Had one salmon and four grilse, diseased, from the Conon on the 2nd July. 



They were taken one mile below Conon Bridge. They were just the same as 



the fish from the Eden and Largo. There was no fungus. Thinks the disease 

 he refers to is distinct from the fungus disease. 



All the rivers were frozen last winter for nearly five months; from 11th 

 November to 26th April. 



Too many large fish get up and fight ; diseased fish lie about all the 

 winter. The fish are bigger than ever, owing to kelt preservation. 



The season on the Forth should be extended for a fortnight or 10 days. 

 The close time should begin on the 14th September, and so many days should 

 be taken oil' at the beginning. Rod fishing should be allowed all the 

 season. 



Suggests that the Tweed should be open to 12th October for nets. Sixty 

 clean fish were taken at a shot the last day this season. They are better then 

 than in June. Thousands of pounds' worth of fish are lost through early 

 closing. Nearly every year thousands of dead salmon come down. The fish 

 won't take the fly till the end of September. October and November are the 

 best angling months. The fish are frightened by the falling leaves. 



The Kirkcudbright Dee produces grilse very early. They run first in May. 

 June is a very good month. This year about half the usual weight of fish 

 was taken. A run of fish takes place in November to spawn. 



In 1875 saw diseased fish at Kinfauns like those from the Forth. They were 

 as if they had very small barnacles growing to the lower tail fin. The fish were 

 in good condition. Sir JJohn Richardson had several fish examined in March 

 and the beginning of April. 



The diseased fish in the Forth were taken lh miles from the Leven, and 

 there have been no salmon bred in the Leven for 20 years. They were Forth 

 fish. The nets are in the Forth, 50 miles from fresh water. The fish were 

 skinned along the jaws, and marked as if blistered with fire. 



Thinks the fish had not fallen back from fresh water, because the fish 

 always head for fresh water. The fish were very weak ; thinks they were not 

 healing, but that the sores were opening. 



There was a great run of fish up the So'.way in the end of September 1877, 

 and up all the rivers except the large grilse rivers. 



The trout are all over by that time except in the Tsveed. This run of fish were 

 not caught, and they helped to overstock the rivers, and were lost to the market 

 and to the river. 



Bull-trout average this season Is. 3c?. per lb. Any quantity could be sold 

 during September. The fish could be sent to Berwick. The Commissioners 

 should send a permit with the box, stamped with the number and weight of 

 the fish. This could be done like branding herrings. This is done with the 

 Dutch salmon now, and it answers. 



Sells rod fish. Rods will never hurt a river, and might be allowed all tli3 

 year round. 



The upper proprietors on the Tweed should be conciliated by giving leave to 

 angle for kelts in the spring in return for an extension of the netting season. 

 Anglers would rather take home the kelts in the spring. This should be legal 

 after say 1st May. There are few kelts left by 15th May. 



Bull-trout kelts should be killed ; they spawn before the salmon, and eat 

 the salmon eggs. 



Thinks, and his father thinks too, that too many breeders go up. Would 

 allow netting at the back end of the year. Netting should begin on 1st 

 March. 



The 60 fish caught on 13th September referred to were worth ISO/. They 

 were the precursors of a shoal coming up. _ 



Drainage has altered the nature of the river. 



The fungus can be removed by a run of fresh water. The aquarium people 

 put trout, pike, perch, gold fish, haddocks, and whiting in with the diseased 

 salmon, and applied a strong jet of water and washed off the fungus in an 

 hour. A flood of water down the river would have the same effect. 



Has seen diseased fish from the Tweed taken in fresh water. Has also seen 

 diseased fish taken from the Conon in brackish water, and others at Largo 

 taken in salt water. There was no fungus on them. Has never seen fungus. 

 The fish referred to, he thinks, were diseased in the eea. Thinks it was the 



