THE FORSS 259 



fish are taken in the autumn, above and below, so that the 

 yearly average may be estimated roughly as 100. 



Measuring the height of the fall with the eye, I estimate it 

 as about 25 feet. It is divided roughly into two sections, each 

 of which is composed of many ledges, the rock being bedded 

 horizontally. The fall, therefore, has a tendency to form a 

 series of cascades, and as the ledges become worn or give way, 

 the water receives a certain zig-zag direction. This is taken 

 advantage of by ascending fish, indeed without these zig-zags 

 no fish could possibly accomplish the ascent. Fish go up at 

 the extreme right-hand side (looking upwards) of the first 

 section ; then turning, they have the shelter of an overhanging 

 ledge as they swim to the left to gain a small pool situated 

 between the two sections of the fall. The upper section has a 

 better break than the lower, so that fish, with one more zig-zag, 

 reach the top. It would not be at all difficult to elongate the 

 zig-zags so as to produce easier gradients. Some building-up 

 would be necessary in the lower section, where the channel 

 would be carried into the present bank of the river. The value 

 of doing so would be very great, as the increase to the stock of 

 fish would be material in a few years. It is a little difficult to 

 understand why something has not been done long ago. The 

 cost would be comparatively trifling. Spring fish would never 

 ascend, if the pass was formed in the present fall as suggested, 

 but summer fish would do so, and late gravid fish would for the 

 first time be of real use to the district. Major Radclyffe 

 proposes also to improve the run into the sea. 



All along the Pentland Firth coast the bag nets usually catch 

 more grilse than salmon. I find on examining a series of 

 returns from Forss, covering a period of 20 years, that from 

 4 to 7 grilse were captured for every salmon. But of recent 

 years the proportion of grilse has greatly lessened, which 

 is not a very healthy sign in any district where small spring fish 

 are expected to form the bulk of the catch. It should be 

 realised that the spring fish of our northern rivers are the fish 

 which did not enter fresh water as grilse, but remained over 

 that period in the sea, and further that the grilse which do 

 enter our rivers spawn. It is, therefore, highly important 

 that they be given every opportunity of doing so. It is, 

 indeed, a misfortune if the particular grilse which succeed in 



