too without their encountering either the toils or 
attendant upon the fisheries of the seas. In- 
Seed hed it not been for the restraining statutes re- 
specting the manner and times of catching them, the 
breed of salmon would, in all probability, have been 
ere now extirpated. 
of the genus Salmo are anadromous fishes, or 
such as alternately inhabit fresh and salt waters ; all of 
them, however, spawning in the heads of rivers, or in 
brooks rename I with them. After orming this 
fanction, they become lank and sickly. In this situation 
they make forthe sea, no doubt to recover from their 
shotten state. After remaining there for a few weeks, 
an irresistible impulse of nature hurries them agein 
to their native streams. To accomplish this object, they 
set all kinds of obstacles at defiance, and would rather 
~ in the attempt than deviate from their course. 
hey never spawn until they reach these shoals, and 
if obstructed or retarded in their ascent, they are often 
forced to drop their roes in the lower parts of rivers, 
but which, in that case, are never known to be either 
po er or covered by the milter. It has been re- 
that their periodical migrations are in part 
prompted by another circumstance. During their re- 
sidence in rivers, they are infested by parasitical 
insects, which are killed by the salt water; but in the 
sea are soon attacked es the lernea, which perishes 
in fresh.water. 
The importance of the salmon fishery to Scotland, in- 
duced the legislature, at an early period of our history, 
to enact various statutes, for the preservation and mul- 
tiplication of the breed, and for srolabeng all kinds of 
apparatus in their capture, which might tend to a di- 
minution of foo neepers, Such is 4 pit ofa 
laws respecting this v efishery. But within these 
thirty or fort Pak the existing laws have not been 
duly enf , and, of course, a great and sensible de- 
crease has taken place in all the waters of Scotland ; 
and, indeed, in many rivers in which they used former- 
ly to abound, ly one is now to be seen, as for ex- 
ample, in the Almond and Ericht in Perthshire, both 
branches of the Tay. In the upper parts of the Tweed, 
from Kelso to Drumelzier, there were formerly several 
established salmon fisheries, but these are.now entirel 
relinquished, from the small number of fish whi 
ascend to that part of the river. The cause of this 
scarcity is imputed to the modes of fishing with stage, 
toot nets, &c. at or near to the mouth of that river. 
Although we only mention these circumstances as 
coming within our immediate knowledge, we believe. 
pcg prangagce ped a Aug say al per’ 
» aS in the tributary streams of all inci- 
ities in Scotland. ice hie 
It has been contended by many of the lower proprie- 
tors upon our rivers and estuaries, that stake nets, and 
other such sweeping devices, do not lessen the breed of 
salmon ; that the Scotch acts of parliament are now in 
desuetude ; and even if they were still in force, that 
pre Lorninentes of eens nih arg tus, nor to 
the passage upwards, but to the 
waticn of the bavedens! i Goes-ot fends Cane, and te-the 
smoults, fry, or salmon seuse. 
The most material object, undoubtedly, in the propa~ 
and preservation of the salmon species, is to af- 
them a safe passage to their parent stream, that 
FISHERIES: 
bed which nature has ‘out to them as the safest Fisheries: 
8 ene 
spring. We have, t noticed, that, if S*!0" 
ae sabdhing tivepet, the own ] 
1s dered unprolific, their dropping it without 
porary ome sho eect el we y 4 
That our statutes have the of this passage 
egy rts ! cin Hx 
i. itory i use of 
cake! Rodham Oeste auenatente’ 4 
inmagaie,* a 
propagation should be neglected ; that is, a complete 
protection in their ascent to the spawning. ‘a 
As the law at stands, we con all modes 
in the this fish to be illegal, unless by an 
gling, by the net and cobble, or by the common seine, 
ef moderate and fixed dimensions. But to prevent all 
pooper tometer tah of the times with re« 
to the preservation on, we e 
ine thncetoomeneretahbehattearcaletah aa tepsilione 
effect, not only in settling such means as may render 
this fishery permanent and productive, but would pat 
laws for the conservancy of the Thames, yet'trespassés 
increased so much, anil the offences in g became 
so ,intricate ‘and destructive, that the city of London 
found it necessary and ient, in the 30th year of 
pate ape ch in another act of parlia~ 
ment, for the better regulating the fisheries in ri- 
ver, and in the waters of way. In pursuance of 
this statute, the lerd (Clark) in 1785 i 
a Set of rules, orders, and ordinances, penal- 
ties for a breach ofthe same ; and annexed to this pub- 
lication, are notes by the Lords Mansfield and Lough- 
Pree thee ordinances, now acted upon in the court 
following articles, being, as we think, not well 
to; hibt aheieGtvhnat Se cheatbnant 
the Scottish and i Snive de wiogandl saree 
pare et » Thar all wilawtl ul daeinads 
3 i is, ' nets » i and 
other abuses, offered to the p i ment ns he 
; * That no 
wuall thee flood. acted 
2. Item, That no shall lie or bend over 
net whatsoever 
kind of fish Sneed 
ming upwards, for the benefit 
Safealtisiter, coder pulley bf fedslag wootbapine 
d river, r 
Riaiileate Se cours toch in ba ho aah WA, 
$. Item, That no person shalt shoot, or place draw 
net, cod net, or other net or engine’in the said river 
Thames, to catch salmon with, or shall useany net or 
of Thames, 
* The Irish complain much of the decrease of salmon in their rivers; and Wakefield, in his Statistical Account of 1 2 oning 
the modes of 
ascent.” Vol. ii. p. 83. 
in some of their Gisherics, observes, that « flood are more injurious ebb’ weirs, as they catch the fish ix 
3 
Be wm bp ee Se ee 
li ae dent wit, 
ne pty Nth ding ee te 
Pm 
ie eke 
