which they rapidly do, to the length of a few inches, and 

 while yet without much appearance of muscular vigour, 

 their natural instinct leads them towards the sea, and they 

 are aided in their progress by the vernal floods. 



At first, they keep near the margin of the river, avoid- 

 ing the current of the mid stream as too impetuous, and 

 seeking what fishermen call the easy-water at the side. In 

 most rivers, this migration takes place about the end of 

 April, or beginning of May ; and, as the fry pass down- 

 wards through that part of the river which is not affected 

 by the tide, or only so affected as to moderate the current, 

 they may be seen in myriads, moving along slowly and 

 with seeming timidity. 



But there is a certain point in the course of every 

 great river, where the margin ceases to be easy-water, 

 where the tide operates more directly, and where there 

 is a constant and considerable agitation along the shore. 

 At this part of the river, the same cause which before com- 

 pelled the fry to seek the banks, induces them to resort 

 to the waters in the mid stream, which have now become 

 deep, and comparatively quiet and tranquil. Here, ac- 

 cordingly, they disappear. And though no longer to be 

 seen, they fall gently down with the tide to the sea. 



From this account of the habits and history of the fish, 

 the error of the existing regulations of the fishing season 

 is apparent. If there be any truth in what has been 

 said, and the statements are in substance what all na- 

 turalists and fishers are agreed upon, it is evident, that 

 the general regulation under the statute of 1404, allows 

 the fishery to begin just at the very time when it ought 

 to be most strictly fenced ; and that the regulations ap- 

 plicable to the Tweed, the North Esk and South Esk, 

 and other rivers, which allow the fishery to continue 



