SCOTLAND 128 



is good. Major Rose of Kilravock favours me with 

 interesting notes. In the opinion of the water-bailiff, 

 a man of many years 1 experience in the watching of 

 the river and the habits of salmon and sea -trout, 

 there is about the same stock as there was twenty 

 years ago; but the fish seem smaller. The bailiff 

 has observed that the season immediately after a 

 severe winter, when the river was ice-bound for some 

 time, has always been exceptionally good. He 

 thinks that the ice tends to keep the fry warm, and 

 protects them from their natural enemies, such as 

 certain birds. There are, however, hostile influences 

 on the stream. Every May the Nairn fishing boats 

 drop down to the mouth of the harbour on the way 

 to the west coast. At the end of June they return, 

 and refit for the east-coast fishing, for which they 

 sail in the early days of July. While the boats block 

 up the mouth of the harbour the salmon, unable to 

 run, are caught in the sea nets. The sea netting 

 extends for seven miles and a half along the coast. 

 There are close on fifty nets to be evaded by fish 

 seeking the river. The outrigger bag nets, which float 

 far off the coast, are a great evil from the anglers' 

 point of view. Then, there are otters up about 

 Draggle and Brin; while gulls, herons, and other 

 birds, it is believed, destroy very large quantities of 

 ova, fry, and smolts. The running of fish would be 

 much facilitated were the three or four weirs on the 

 river provided with sensible passes. On the other 

 hand there have been improvements. The sewage 

 of the town and the refuse from a distillery are now 





