agreeably to the general regulation under the statute 

 1404, viz, 26th August, is, perhaps, not far from what 

 it should be. Some fishers^ indeed, say, that so many 

 sound fish might be caught after 26th August, with 

 comparatively little injury to the breeders, that the fish- 

 ing should be continued for a fortnight longer; there 

 would remain, they say, a number of breeding fish, 

 fully sufficient for propagating the species, although 

 it were continued until the end of the first week of 

 September. But other fishers contend, that the season 

 ought to close on the 1st of August. And between such 

 conflicting opinions, it is difficult to ascertain the truth. 



With regard to the duration of the c/o*c or fence-time, 

 and the period when the fishing should be allowed again 

 to commence, all are agreed . that it should be much 

 later than is prescribed by the general statute of 1404. 

 At the statutory period, (10th December,) the fish are in 

 the very act of depositing their spawn ; and, for some 

 time afterwards > they are still in the upper parts of the ri- 

 vers, incapable of exertion and unfit for use. Even the pe- 

 riod observed in the Tweed, &c. (2d February), is ac- 

 knowledged to be too early. It is chiefly in Febru- 

 ary that the fish, after having deposited their spawn, 

 are found, under the name of/bit/ fish, seeking their way 

 to the sea : and, while these fish are almost useless, 

 though taken, there are, it may be said, no others in a 

 sound state to be met with. Even in March, some of the 

 unwholesome fish are in the fresh waters, and few sea fish 

 have entered the rivers. 



But this is not the only reason why the close-time should 

 be prolonged. The spawn does not become animated, and 

 leave the ova, until the end of March or beginning of April ; 

 and even in the end of April, or sometimes in the begin- 



