THE HABITS OF THE SALMON. 49 



then arises, cannot some arrangement be made be- 

 tween the upper and lower proprietors, which 

 would ensure the passage of an extra lot of fish 

 to the upper waters in the weekly close time ? 

 Mr. John Dickson, W.S. of Perth, who has been 

 connected with the salmon fisheries on the river 

 Tay for thirty-three years and more, has written 

 three interesting memoranda addressed to the pro- 

 prietors of the districts. Recent legislation on the 

 subject to which he refers, finds little favour in his 

 eyes, nor is Mr. Dickson sure that the old laws 

 which were not repealed for four centuries (from 

 1424 to 1828), were not the best of all. The 

 close season, for instance, was only 106 days, i.e. 

 August 26 to December 10. But Mr. Dickson 

 regards Home Drummond's Act of 1828 as being 

 disastrous. By this Act the extension of the fish- 

 ing season from August 26 (as it was fixed under 

 the earlier regime), to September 14, resulted, in his 

 opinion, in a greater destruction of old autumn fish, 

 and so diminished the supply of the best breeding 



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