p£AUL Fishing. 101 



iu those parts where the water has a sluggish lake-like current 

 there were no living shells. For instance, while there are many 

 about the Dee near Hensol, from the five miles of still water from 

 Bridge-of-Dee down to Glenlochar Bridge there are no fish to be 

 had, but at Glenlochon they commence again with the current, and 

 are then found right down to Kirkcudbright. While they dislike 

 still water, they have also an aversion to those wild rushes like 

 what is found in lovely Ness Glen, and from Loch Doon right 

 down the Glen none are to be found, their favourite haunt being 

 nice ripples with gravel bottoms, or those little banks of gravel 

 behind boulders. Both Doon and Dee are lake fed, and I have 

 found that streams flowing from basins are usually bettsr stocked 

 than those that have no break to their currents, the still water 

 seeming to have, an equalising effect upon the temperature, as well 

 as a clarifying intiuence upon the water, this being one of the 

 reasons in my opinion why the upper Kirkgunzeon Lane has pro- 

 duced the splendid pearls I now show you (this is the property of 

 Mr Clark of Cullochan, Terregles), and a fine cross was formed of 

 pearls got here by the late proprietor's aunt, Mrs Marmaduke 

 (Jonstable Maxwell, of Terregles. 



At first I asked myself, why should the fish be more plenti- 

 ful in Dee and Doon than in other streams near them ? Pollution 

 might be the reason in Nith and Cairn, but I found on examination 

 that such waters as Deuch and Ken, which above Dairy is an un- 

 polluted stream, had few, not but what they are found here, for 

 one lady assured me that she had a brooch set with pearls found 

 in Deuch. There is also a circumstance connected with Dee that 

 I mention that may have some influence, that is its high tempera- 

 ture compared with Nith. The observations Avere taken some 

 yeais since by Mr Andson, and a correspondent on the Dee, viz. : 

 — Nith, spring quarter (breeding season), 47-8 ; Dee, 50 O. 

 Summer quarter — Nith, 60-2 ; Dee, 61-1. Autumn — Nith, 47-1 ; 

 Dee, 49-8. Winter— Nith, 38-9 ; Dee, 40-2. 



In some places on Dee mussels are very abundant. Mr 

 Bridger informs me that on the moors above New-Galloway 

 station, at a place called Barns Water, he took them out by the 

 pailful, but, strange to say, with few pearls, although below this 

 on Slogarie and Banks of Dee pearls are abundant, and four years 

 since on Doon, below Dalmellington, they were taken out in loads. 

 Indeed, I was assured that the slaughter was so great that com- 



