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was not much white growth on them. It was a kelt. This was early in April, k NEWTON 

 or at the end of March. Never saw it before. . STEWART. 



The sewage of Wigtown goes into the Bladenock, and there are dye mills 

 on it. 



There are three dams with passes. Think it is pure above Wigtown. Thinks 

 the pollutions will not cause the disease, unless it is the manures. 



Did not cut up the fish he saw. 



This season there have been about six diseased fish. 



His brother saw two lying in the mill lade at the distillery. Has seen dead 

 fish in the river before, but not diseased. 



The Bladenoch is a late river. 



Major Colin Stewart. — Has been acquainted all his life with the Cree, 

 the Minnock, the Fleet, the Bladenoch, and all the rivers hereabouts. Thinks 

 the fishings have most decidedly fallen off. 



There are nothing like so many salmon as before. Does not speak so much 

 of the Luce. There is nothing like the same quantity of fish as formerly. 



Has seen fish diseased, and believes there was hardly a sound fish in the 

 Cree. Saw GO or 80 bad fish, piebald, like a magpie, in October, November, 

 and December 1879. Has seen it before after very wet seasons. Has seen 

 burn trout diseased. 



Think it is the excess of rain water which causes it. There was a very wet 

 season in 1877 and 1879 : thinks the disease was started and spread in 1877, 

 and increased in 1879. In dry weather the disease, he thinks, will disappear. 



The salt water cures. Has not examined the intestines of the fish; but 

 has cut the flesh. 



Has shot diseased fish in the river, and taken them out. Many were 

 covered with a white woolly flocculent matter. It floated in the water. The 

 whole of the head was covered, and all the fins were off, and the tail quite 

 eaten away. 



A dreadful number of diseased fish were in the Cree. There were very few 

 healthy fish in it in September, October, and November. Lord Aiisa's men, 

 who were collecting ova, said that the ova was all right in the diseased fish. 



The spawning season on the Cree is from the first week in October to 

 December. 



The Luce is very late, and the spawning is chiefly in November. 



Sea trout and herlings have been very badly diseased in the Palnure. Has 

 also seen grilse diseased. 



Thinks the Lin of Minnock should be opened for spawning fish, but on 

 the Cree it would be better not to let them up. 



Thinks the excessive rain water is of a diiferent character to ordinary river 

 water. The usual supply of the river is from springs, but the excessive rain 

 water makes the water too soft. The springs are from granite. 



Has heard from shepherds that burn trout in the fields have for 30 or 40 years 

 past had the fungus after very heavy rains. 



Thinks the softness of the rain water is the cause of the disease, and not the 

 surface drainage. 



Sheep drains are very hurtful in causing the rise and fall of rivers to be 

 sudden and extreme, instead of gradual as in former years. This is not so 

 much the case with pipe drainage. Does not think that the decomposing 

 matter going through the drains into the rivers has anything to do with the 

 disease. 



The sudden floods tear up the spawning beds, and the lowness of the water 

 afterwards exposes the beds to injury. The scarcity of fish is due to these causes. 



More fish are marked than formerly in proportion to the stock. 



There are fewer fish on the spawning grounds, and so overcrowding cannot 

 be the cause of the disease. But thinks in the case of grouse that the over- 

 crowding theory holds good. 



Does not attach any importance to the statement of Mr. Hopkinson as to the 

 fish being affected fresh from the sea. 



Thinks surface drainage and other causes have altered the natural circum- 

 stances of the river. 



Has only thought of his theory as to rain water in connection with the 

 Cree. Cannot apply it to other rivers. In former years has seen 60, 80, or 

 100 fish in one pool in the river, but no disease among them. 



