256 APPENDIX. 



IV. 



MR, ASHWORTH'S UNDERTAKINGS. 



Several successful undertakings in pisciculture have been 

 carried out in Ireland. The first of any note, perhaps, 

 was at Outerard, near Gal way, in 1852. The Gal way 

 River is the channel through which Loughs Mask and 

 Comb, two enormous lakes containing a vast area of 

 water, discharge themselves into the sea. The fishery of 

 this river belongs to Mr. Ashworth. In 1852, finding the 

 stock had been terribly reduced from a variety of causes, 

 he established a breeding-place at Outerard, in a small 

 tributary stream. Here twenty boxes were laid down, after 

 the same fashion as the plan, already explained, adopted 

 at Stormontfield. This plan, carried out by Mr. Rams- 

 bottom, was the model whence Stormontfield was taken. 

 These boxes were stocked with about 40,000 ova, which 

 in due time came to perfection. Subsequently, owing 

 partly to the opening of a wide Queen' s-gap in the weir, 

 Mr. Ashworth's fishery multiplied itself in value many- 

 fold, and he cast about, adding a still larger area to the 

 field of his operations. 



Lough Mask, which discharges into Lough Corrib, 

 is separated from it by a very rugged channel and 



