154 THE SALMON. 



Commissioners, l)ut the real promoter of wliicli was the 

 Duke of Eoxbiirghe. It dealt partly and gently with the 

 question of close-time, but its main object was the sup- 

 pression of certain fixed engines called stell-nets, and 

 also a less noxious species known as cairn-nets. For a 

 long period previous to 1830, the close-time on the Tweed 

 ran from the 10th October to the 10th of January; in 

 1830 its commencement was delayed till the 15th Octo- 

 ber, with a fortnight more for rods ; and in 1836 it was 

 continued till 15th February, with three weeks after the 

 autumn close, i. e., till 7th November, for rods. The Bill 

 of 1857 proposed that the fishing should not begin till 

 the 1st of March instead of the 15 th of Februar}^, the 

 close of the fishing season, or commencement of close- 

 time, to remain as it was both for nets and rods ; while 

 a section of the lower proprietors brought in an opposi- 

 tion Bill, mainly designed to keep things as they w^ere, 

 though also, hy way of threat, proposing to take au'ay 

 from the upper proprietors the three weeks of rod- fishing 

 they already possessed. At the close of the evidence 

 before the Commons' Committee, the lower proprietors, 

 either themselves con^dnced, or perceiving that the Com- 

 mittee was convinced, withdrew this proposal, and even 

 off'ered that rod-fishing should be legalized all the year 

 round, and also that the nets should come off* a week 

 earlier. But the mistake had been made ; the evidence 

 as to the insufticiency of the close-time, not required for 

 the purposes of the original Bill, but evoked by the pro- 

 posals in the opposition Bill, had shown the Committee 

 where the chief evil lay ; and, unasked and by a unani- 

 mous vote, they resolved that a month should be cut 



