NATURAL HISTORY 31 



through all the engines prepared for their destruction 

 between the estuary and the breeding grounds high 

 up the river, and the proprietors of the upper reaehes 

 take little trouble to preserve and protect the 

 spawning fish, as they complain with some justice 

 that they never get a chance at a salmon in a clean 

 condition. Legislation is, of course, essential for any 

 practical improvement in this direction ; even if one 

 could meet with a tacksman so far-sighted and 

 provident as to refrain from killing the ' goose with 

 the golden eggs,' his self-denial would be unavailing if 

 his more selfish neighbours were permitted to capture 

 the fish he had spared. If the present period of 

 sanctuary was doubled, I believe that in a year or 

 two at most the nets would be catching far more fish 

 than they now do in the longer period, and that the 

 most discontented would acquiesce in restrictions the 

 wisdom of which would have been demonstrated 

 beyond cavil. Some such measure is imperative, and 

 the reward of the intelligent gratitude of all well 

 wishers to the national prosperity awaits the states- 

 man who has the firmness and courage to initiate 

 and carry through the necessary amendment of the 

 law. However, knowing by experience the great 

 difficulty of forcing any measure through the Houses 

 of Parliament which is not of a political nature, I am 



