SALMON LEGISLATION. 171 



classes, as regards the periods for net-fishing : 1st class 

 open from llth February to 26th August ; 2d class 

 from 16th February to 31st August; 3d class from 

 25th February to 9th September. In the first class there 

 have been or are likely to be placed by far the larger 

 number of rivers, including almost all the important 

 ones Tay, Forth, Dee and Don, Spey, Findhorn, Kyle 

 of Sutherland, Ness, Beauly, etc. In the second class 

 there will probably be no other rivers than the two Esks 

 of Forfarshire, and the Add and Echaig, in Argyleshire. 

 The third class will include the small rivers in Gallo- 

 way and the south of Ayrshire, and also the Ythan and 

 Ugie, in Aberdeenshire. As to rod-fishing, the Commis- 

 sioners seem to proceed on the plan of allowing it to 

 continue up to the end of October, unless the proprietors 

 desire an earlier closing. At the end of the volume will 

 be found a table, giving more precisely the close-times 

 of the Scotch rivers north of Tweed, as fixed at May 

 1864. 



The Act also extended the weekly close-time by twelve 

 additional hours, making it run from six on Saturday 

 night to six on Monday morning. Here, too, a discre- 

 tionary power, and one of a rather embarrassing charac- 

 ter, is given to the Commissioners : " The Commissioners 

 shall have power, on the application of the district board, 

 or of any two proprietors of fisheries in any district, to 

 vary the period at which the weekly close-time shall 

 commence in any district, or any part thereof, in so far 

 as they may think reasonable or expedient, provided that 

 such weekly close-time shall in no case be less than 

 thirty-six hours." Why have mentioned certain hours 



