ANACHARIS ALSINASTRUM. 185 



for the supply of the streams above it. The trout are 

 of good average size, and still numerous, although not 

 to be compared to the swarming populations of the 

 upper streams. Such continues the character of the 

 Whitadder to its mouth. Although for the final two 

 or three miles of its course it is very much fished by 

 the anglers of Berwick and of neighbouring villages, 

 there are still trout enough for all, and, even within 

 the last few years, very great takes have been got. 

 We have known of one or two trout upwards of three 

 pounds in weight being taken from the Whitadder ; 

 but of course even pound fish are exceptional, although 

 the chance of one or two is almost always offered to the 

 expert angler. We have capturegl an eel upwards of 

 2 Ibs. and another about 4 ft>s. in the lower part of the 

 Whitadder. 



Of late years a considerable nuisance and obstruc- 

 tion to angling has arisen in the Whitadder. The 

 Anacharis Alsinastrum, the weed that has almost 

 choked up the canals of Lincolnshire and others of 

 the midland English counties, first made its appearance 

 in this kingdom in Dunse Castle Loch, where it was 

 discovered about seventeen years ago by the late Dr. 

 George Johnston of Berwick (who was a keen angler 

 as well as an eminent naturalist.) The intruder found 

 its way into the Whitadder, and has established itself 

 in most of the mill-dams, threatening almost to block 

 them up. It seems not to be particular about what 

 sort of root it gets, but spreads with amazing rapidity, 

 and thus in several places it has almost stretched across 

 the Whitadder. A sprig of it put into a tumbler of 

 water will indeed in a very short time fill the vessel 



