ON THE LYON. 209 



I shall be borne out by the ablest Tay anglers 

 in asserting that all the trouble and expense 

 of salmon-breeding has not yet been followed 

 by a corresponding increase of salmon. 



The essayist I have referred to, however, " hits 

 the clout" with his last arrow. "We cannot," 

 says he, '" quit the subject without alluding to 

 the stake and bag nets used for the capture of 

 salmon on the sea-coast." 



Now, here is the gist of the whole matter. We 

 had plenty of fine salmon in our rivers before 

 the dexterity of the netters especially of the 

 sea-netters thinned and dwarfed them. Just 

 in proportion as restrictions are laid on the net, 

 will all the trouble and expense of fish-culture 

 and river protection have fair play. Many of the 

 larger fish are so scared by the constant succes- 

 sion of net apparatus, as never to ascend beyond 

 the heavy dead water at the foot of our rivers. 

 In the estuary of northern Dee, some time since, 

 a salmon was netted of 42 Ib. weight, while none 

 had been caught in that stream so heavy as 

 25 Ib. for years before. Forty seasons ago, 30-lb. 

 fish were frequently taken with the rod in that 

 o 



