90 



NEWTON Saw four diseased fish in the river up to 27th August. They had a brown 



STEWART, sore, and matter putrefying. Over a portion there was a fluffy appearance. 

 ' — The head was quite white. The flesh was quite good. Did not notice the 



liver. 



Is sure the fish had got the disease in the sea. 



This season has not seen more than six fish diseased. The first was lying dead, 

 and washed up by the side of the river. This was in January. Saw another 

 lying dead, close to Newton Stewart, and has seen four since. The last was 

 a month ago. They were all kelts, except the last, which was well made up. 

 The flesh of it was good and red. It had been down to the sea, and was 

 coming up again. Cannot say if it was a spring fish. 



It is a skin disease. 



Four of the fish were caught in his nets, and two were fished up dead. 



Thinks the disease did not originate in the river, because the fish had sea lice 

 on them. 



In other seasons, at the end of July and beginning of August, has seen red- 

 spotted fish. Many fish had red spots, both male and female, and particularly 



female. 



Does not think that the fish in July had been up the river and dropped 

 down after contracting the disease. 



One fish in September had the river mark (dark scales), but the others had 

 bright scales ; if they had been in the river they would have had the river mark. 

 The first two fish were quite silvery, and the other two quite dark scaled. 



Has noticed in dry seasons that fish are more abundant and more apt to get 

 injured by rocks, &c. ; these wounds are distinct from those on the diseased 



fish. 



Has seen red-spotted fish every year with red spots half the size of a small 

 pea all over their body. This is merely a change of colour. There is no sore. 

 It is something like the " red kippers." 



The diseased fish had white fungus on the head. One had the head all 

 over white. It was caught half a mile from the tide. It had sores, and parts 

 were all bare. The fins and tail were eaten away. It had sea-lice on different 

 parts of the body, mostly towards the tail. 



James McWilliam, river watcher, Glenluce.— Has been 10 years on the 

 Luce. The river is doing pretty well. There are far more fish this year than 

 last year. Has seen spots on the fish more or less every year, chiefly on 

 kelts. Sees dead kelts every year, mostly spotted. During the last year ths 

 spots have been more numerous, and kelts have been more numerous. Saw one 

 clean fish dead in the second week in January. It had no roe. It was a spring 

 fish. It had lots of fungus. This was the only dead one he has seen or heard 

 of. Has seen living ones in the pools with spots on them. 



Noticed white spots in the autumn of 18/8— in July and August. The fish 

 had white spots on the head. The tide reached them every second week at 



Has seen it also higher up the river on clean fish. Never saw it before 1878. 



Has seen ever so many more fish with spots of the same character as formerly. 

 Thinks the new disease is an aggravated form of an old disease. Did not 

 open any of the fish. 



Has not heard of fish in the sea being diseased. 



The fish spawned later this year than usual, at the end of December and 

 beginning of January. They usually spawn at the beginning of December. 



Rods are off at the beginning of November. Nets are off on the 10th 

 September. 



Never saw the disease in other years. 



The Luce is chiefly a sea trout river. This year saw rather more sea trout 

 than salmon. 



Takes out the dead fish and buries them. 



The Luce is strictly preserved. 



There are two mill dams surmountable in floods. 



John McGowan, watchmaker, Wigtown.— Is tacksman of fishings in the 



Bladenoch. His fishings are in both salt and fresh water. Fishes with net and 



coble. Has known the river 40 years. There are fewer fish now than formerly. 



Has seen fish in the Bladenoch marked with the disease. The year before 



last saw a fish with red and bloody spots, and the fins all eaten away. There 



