THE LAW AS TO SALMON-FISHING 237 



with such river and the sea-coast adjoining thereto, 

 divided into such portions as may be fixed and defined 

 by the Commissioners under the Act, shall form a 

 fishery district. For this purpose three Commissioners 

 were appointed for a period of three years, with further 

 power to determine the close season and to make 

 general regulations for its observance and for the 

 construction and use of cruives, the construction and 

 alteration of mill-dams, lades, or water-wheels, so as to 

 afford reasonable means for the passage of salmon ; 

 for the meshes of nets and obstructions in rivers and 

 estuaries to the free passage of salmon, with power to 

 summon witnesses and take evidence upon these 

 matters. 



In accordance with these powers the Commis- 

 sioners, by bye-law made in January 1863, divided 

 Scotland into districts and settled their annual close 

 times respectively. By a further bye-law of May 



1864 the size of the mesh of nets was fixed at one 

 and three-quarters inches from knot to knot, and the 

 use of two nets, one behind the other, or. nets made 

 of canvas, was prohibited. 



Further bye-laws passed in May 1864 and July 



1865 regulate the use of cruives and mill-dams, while 

 a salmon pass was ordered to be affixed to every 

 dam, weir, or cauld. 



