65 



ling off in the produce, such a fact might be urged with 

 some degree of plausibility against a further extension of 

 the fishery. But this cannot be done ; and in the only in- 

 stance where it has been attempted, viz. in the Tay, the 

 attempt, as has already been seen, was attended with sig- 

 nal failure. There was positive evidence adduced, not 

 only that the produce of the upper fisheries had not been 

 lessened, but that the salmon caught below were sea fish ; 

 fish not seeking the fresh water at all, and the capture of 

 which, therefore, could in no degree affect the produce of 

 the upper fisheries. 



There is, then, a want of all argument in support 

 of the theory that the species is in danger by the success 

 or extension of the fishery. 



But there is another consideration, which must satisfy 

 every unprejudiced mind, that the idea, of an ultimate 

 total extinction of the Salmon species, is visionary and ab* 

 surd. 



It has been ascertained, by a very simple process, that 

 the roe of an ordinary Salmon contains from 1700 to 2000 

 ova. But even supposing, that the number of fish 

 brought into life from each spawner was much smaller, 

 how few spawning fish would be sufficient for the production 

 of all that man could consume ! The average produce of 

 the Tay fisheries is supposed to be about 30,000. Sup- 

 pose, however, that, by permitting the use of stake-nets, the 

 produce of the river and frith, and adjacent coast, were to 

 be increased to ten times the number, or 300,000, how small 

 is the proportion of breeding fish necessary for rearing this 

 number, when compared with the number of fish which 

 actually spawn in the Tay and its tributary streams ! 



It is the same in other rivers. The young fish which must 



