24 



Br KOOK AND BT CROOS:. 



The extension of the angling season, which of late 

 years has been granted on many rivers^ has given great 

 scope to this doubtful class of sport ; and as it is beyond 

 argument that hundreds of fish are killed annually just 

 prior to the time when they would fulfil the require- 

 ments of nature, it is a very open question whether, 

 generally speaking, these extensions are not a mistake. 



The extension was granted to give anglers the oppor- 

 tunity to kill fresh fish which ascend certain rivers at a 

 late period of the year, and also to give those fishing the 

 upper waters a fair chance of sport, and with these 

 objects was right enough, but unfortunately with the 

 use came the abuse. 



The intrinsic value of the kelt in the economy of 

 nature cannot be compared with that of the ill-con- 

 ditioned unspawned fish, and thus it would seem an 

 anomaly that the latter is denied the legal protection 

 which is provided for the kelt. 



Kelts and ill-conditioned unspawned fish usually 

 frequent the same portions of a pool, viz., the slow- 

 running deep water, for the simple reason that neither 

 has sufficient energy to combat the fast-running streams; 

 so as a rule any sportsman who is worthy of the name 

 can confine his efforts to waters which will give him 

 sport, avoiding catches which will in all probability only 

 yield what to him are worthless fish. 



To such as these the extension is a great boon, and it 

 would be very hard upon them if the laws were repealed 

 on account of the unsportsmanlike practices of others ; 



