THE HABITS OF THE SALMON, 57 



of late years as ever. On that Loch the rod- 

 fishing does not commence until February ; but no 

 reason is given why anglers should not begin 

 operations on the ist of January. Under all the 

 circumstances the law might well be altered. At 

 this point I would state that I advocate the 

 sport in January only on such rivers as the Tay 

 and others, into which clean salmon return at 

 that season of the year. There are very few 

 gravid fish in the actual catches in January, when 

 the majority of unclean fish caught are spent fish, 

 and have to be returned to the river unharmed. 

 That is far less injurious than the destruction of 

 gravid fish in October ; and I am sure every 

 fisherman holds the same view on this point. 



The wholesale slaughter by the nets of gravid 

 autumn fish does far more damage to the prospects of 

 a future supply than the capture of the proportionate 

 small number of clean fish at the commencement of 

 the season. If nets were prohibited above and below 

 tideways on all rivers not later than September 



