398 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



is at the Kilkerran Dyke, about 4 miles farther up. It is a 

 simple wooden shoot, 17 feet long and 5 ft. 5 in. broad, 

 reaching from the sill to practically the foot of the apron. 

 When I last saw this dyke the pass was dry, the sill was dry, 

 and the river was rinding its way below the weir. Considerable 

 cavities had formed in the base of the dyke, which evidently 

 were suitable " hidie-holes " for little shoals of fry, but the 

 whole structure of the weir had a neglected and dilapidated 

 appearance. 



At Kirkmichael an extremely irregular weir constructed of 

 boulders occurs. The gradient is easy, although the height is 

 about 5 feet, and this may be considered the least objectionable 

 artificial barrier in the river ; but at Blairquhan, or perhaps 

 more correctly, at Milton, above the Blairquhan policies, a 

 more formidable erection of boulders at a natural barrier of 

 rock occurs, and a great amount of water is carried off to the 

 mill -lade. The dyke is only some 3 to 3J feet high, but the 

 abstraction of water makes it a more serious obstacle than it 

 would otherwise be. I understand that fish cannot surmount 

 this barrier till the water is in considerable volume. They have 

 then only 4 more miles to go till they are completely stopped 

 by Fair law Linn. 



It will be seen, therefore, that of the three leading drawbacks 

 to the proper development of the Girvan's fisheries, which have 

 been mentioned, the over-netting in the river has ceased, and 

 the pollution is at present greatly reduced. The opening up of 

 the artificial barriers to the ascent of salmon remains. It is a 

 very great pity that these are not dealt with in accordance 

 with the requirements of the Salmon Acts. The river Girvan 

 should yield valuable salmon and sea-trout fishing from the 

 commencement of the grilse run onwards, but the potential 

 value remains undeveloped. 



The estuary of the Girvan is a portion of a circle of only 300 

 yards radius from the centre, in the mouth of the river. Bag 

 nets may, therefore, be set very close to the river. Taken even 

 at the very lowest it is to the interest of the bag net fishers to 

 see that an increased number of fish, once they have entered 

 the river, get up to the best spawning grounds of the Girvan. 

 It would appear that local proprietors have but faint interest in 

 rod fishing values, which others esteem highly nowadays. 



