36 THE HABITS OF THE SALMON. 



Ireland at the time, and has its due effect on the 

 upward progress of spring fish. 



Let us take a few instances. The Lee (Co. Cork) — 

 in which, amongst other obstructions, there is one 

 of vital importance — is a noted river for early fish, but 

 it requires a high flood to enable them to pass over 

 that most formidable obstacle, known as the Pipe 

 weir, which is situated near the tideway. If, how- 

 ever, there is water enough, the whole river from 

 Cork to Macroom, some thirty miles in extent, is 

 usually stocked with spring salmon by the ist 

 of February, that being the opening day of the rod 

 season. 



The Blackwater runs through the counties of 

 Cork and Waterford, and is really a first-class spring 

 river. Although the uninitiated may imagine that an 

 obstruction is formed by the fishing weir at Lismore, 

 it is not so, for there is a " Queen's gap," through 

 which every fish that escapes the nets can freely 

 pass. There is a weekly close time of forty-eight 

 hours on this river, and so the pools are gene- 



