THE FISHERIES. 81 



have not as yet had any useful practical results — at 

 least on any large scale — such as have attended the 

 efforts of the French fishermen, with river fish. 

 Undoubtedly the migratory instinct of the salmon 

 species interposes a diflaculty. If that difficulty did 

 not exist, the whole process of propagating salmon 

 by artificial moans might be considered as settled and 

 ascertained, since no doubt whatever now exists, that 

 we have it in our power, to breed, by artificial means, 

 salmon-fry to an unlimited extent, either in enclosed 

 streams, or in the actual spawning places in the river. 



We have read and carefully considered all that 

 has been published on this interesting subject for 

 some time back, but will candidly admit, we have 

 not yet formed a decided, or final opinion, nor intend 

 to come to any hasty conclusion, on the whole of this 

 subject: the scientific public must suspend its judg- 

 ment, pending the inquiries and operations of the 

 French Commissioners ; and if (which is by no means 

 to be despaired of) useful results should develop 

 themselves, we shall have no hesitation in taking ^ 

 lesson from the book, now opened for the first time 

 by our ingenious continental neighbours. 



In Ireland a difiiculty presents itself at the outset, 

 in the way of such investigations. Here, pubhc rights 

 of fishery exist in almost all the rivers, and private 

 rights also are much subdivided : he, therefore, who 

 would take upon him the ofiice of incubator-general 

 in any river, would only reahse the complaint made 

 by Sir Walter Scott in " Bedgauntlet/' and would 



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