26 THE FISHERIES. 



practical persons taking a partial view, where their 

 own present or supposed interests are concerned ; 

 and in piscatorial matters the present is often pre- 

 ferred to the future, and for various reasons. But 

 so long as Nature directs that the great migration 

 of the spawners up rivers shall take place about the 

 period when the autumn or Lammas floods com- 

 mence, we shall continue to think that the time is 

 fixed by immutable laws when the fish itself is be- 

 coming unfit for food, and the capture of it should 

 cease. The Bill introduced by Mr. Conolly fixes, 

 as we have already said, the 1st of August as the 

 period for the commencement of the close season ; 

 and we can only add, that the most salutary and 

 beneficial results may be calculated upon should this 

 important provision receive the sanction of the Le- 

 gislature. 



There is another matter of great importance in 

 Salmon-fishing, to describe which we must take leave 

 to coin a word for this purpose, and call it the *' es- 

 capement," by which we mean certain facilities which 

 enable salmon, during the open, or fishing season, to 

 baffle the arts of man. At the great fall of Bally- 

 shannon (which, forms the Salmon-fishery of that 

 name) there is an escapement of this kind. At high 

 water of the tide the fall is not more than five feet ; 

 the salmon leaps this with ease, and escapes upwards 

 in defiance of proprietor or lessee. In this manner 

 great numbers avoid the traps and pass up the river, 

 where, if they escape the angler and other dangers. 



