242 THE SALMON 



stoppe.' From 1424 to 1828 the annual close time 

 for salmon-netting was one hundred and seven days. 

 In 1828 the Home Drummond Act was passed, the 

 preamble of which is interesting reading upon this 

 point, and runs as follows : ' Whereas by an Act 

 passed in the Parliament of Scotland in the year 

 1424 it was forbidden that any salmon be slain from 

 the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady until the 

 feast of St. Andrew in winter ' (i.e. from August 1 5 to 

 November 30), ' and whereas sundry other laws and 

 Acts were made and passed at divers times by the 

 Parliament of Scotland anent the killing of salmon, 

 kippers, red and black fish in forbidden times, and 

 the killing and destroying of the fry and smolts of 

 salmon, which laws were ratified and confirmed and 

 approved by an Act passed in the said parliament in 

 the year 1696 intituled an Act against Killers of Black 

 Fish and Destroyers of the Fry and Smolts of Salmon, 

 and whereas it is expedient . . . that sundry other 

 regulations should be made : be it therefore enacted 

 by the King's most excellent Majesty that no salmon, 

 grilse, sea trout, nor other fish of the salmon kind, 

 shall be taken in or from any river, stream, lake, 

 water or estuary whatsoever, or on any part of the 

 sea-coast, between the 14th day of September and the 

 1st of February following'on'any year by any person or 



