APPENDIX. 203 



and who, at comparatively slight trouble and expense, 

 could ensure a great measure of immunity to the ac- 

 couchements of their interesting visitants from the sea. 

 It was therefore resolved to make another application 

 to Parliament, and a Bill was drawn, the chief fea- 

 ture of which was to give a large boon to the angling 

 or upper proprietors. The opposition of the net-fishing 

 interest has been partly successful no change having 

 been made in the weekly close-time, except that it no 

 longer applies to rod-fishing ; but the Bill in its main 

 features has passed into law, and the chief provisions of 

 the new measure are these : : 



1. That the annual close- time for Nets shall com- 

 mence on the 15th of September and end on the 15th 

 of February. [A fortnight is thus taken from the end 

 of the net-fishing and added to the beginning. It will 

 be remembered that the measure of 1857 shifted the 

 opening-day from the 15th of February to the 1st of 

 March, chiefly with a view to save kelts ; but it has 

 been proved that the end of February is not a deadly 

 period for these fish, which during the cold season re- 

 main half-torpid in rocky pools.] 



2. That the annual close-time for Hod shall com- 

 mence on the 1st of December and continue to the 

 1st of February ; but no sale to be permitted from the 

 14th of September to the end of the season. [The 

 rod-fishers would thus gain fully twelve weeks, in- 

 stead of two, for sport after the nets are off, and the 

 attractions of the Tweed as a salmon -angling river 

 must be correspondingly increased. The Annan is the 

 only river that has angling-facilities nearly equal to 

 these, the net-fishing in it closing on 25th September, 

 and the rod-fishing continuing till 30th November.] 



3. That the meshes of the nets used on the Tweed 

 shall not be less than 1 J inch from knot to knot. 



4. That cleeks (gaffs) may be used after the 1st of 

 May. 



5. That the limits of the mouth of the river that 



