THE FISHERIES. 



31 



were at any time easily excited by partially raising 

 the waste-gate of the pond, when, of course, as they 

 missed the water, the fish moved upwards to the 

 head of the pond, and in doing so voluntarily passed 

 through (or were unable to pass if too large) the re- 

 quired spaces. We went to a good deal of trouble 

 to make these arrangements, which were amusing, 

 perhaps, to those who witnessed them, but were, 

 after all, of not much consequence, since we found, 

 as may be readily conjectured, that the salmon 

 xrhich thus passed through voluntarily, or could not 

 pass, corresponded precisely in size and weight with 

 others which had been recently killed, and tried 

 elsewhere at similar apertures. 



Under the existing Acts, and under the Bill now 

 before us, the Coiamissioners of Fisheries have a 

 power to alter the size of these apertures, and they 

 will, no doubt, satisfy themselves previous to doing 

 so on any occasion. We merely now give the de- 

 tails, as a matter of useful investigation, pledging 

 ourselves, however, to their strict accuracy. 



