SALMON LEGISLATION. 169 



in other words, left the question of fixed nets as open as 

 before, for litigation as well as for legislation. A con- 

 siderable power, however, was given to the Commis- 

 sioners, the exercise of which is likely to result in the 

 suppression of many of the most mischievous of these 

 engines, the Commissioners being authorized to fix the 

 natural boundaries between estuaries and seas ; that is, 

 the boundaries between the localities in which fixed 

 engines are undoubtedly illegal, and those in which their 

 legality is assumed by some and questioned by others. 

 There may be some doubt whether, as the chief use or 

 significance of the distinction between sea and river has 

 reference to fixed nets, this provision is not open to the 

 objection of, so to speak, renewing or sharpening a dis- 

 tinction which it is a most desirable object to obliterate. 

 Perhaps, however, in all the circumstances, the omis- 

 sion, as completely as possible, of the main question 

 as to fixed nets was the best course for the Lord Advo- 

 cate or the Government, as there were several other 

 important matters urgently requiring adjustment, and 

 the settlement of which could be effected without placing 

 any additional obstacle in the way of a future decision 

 upon the great question omitted. With these matters 

 the new law has dealt, on the whole, wisely and well, and 

 would have dealt still better and more wisely, had the 

 Bill come out of Parliament as it went in. The annual 

 close-time now extends to 168 days, and, if the Lord 

 Advocate and the House of Commons had had their way, 

 would have extended to 180 days. As the close-time 

 for Scotland generally, under Home Drummond's Act, 

 extended to only 139 days, there has thus been made an 



