SCOTLAND 141 



and then rise freely. Often loch -trout flies are 

 attractive to the fish, which, the Duke of Argyll 

 mentions, run up to 15 Ibs. Now and then the 

 sport is at its height in midsummer. 



The BARR, in Argyllshire, although only five miles 

 long, is a good river ; but recently the salmon have 

 been fewer than would be natural. " It is difficult 

 to get at the root of the matter," Major C. B. 

 Macalister says; "but I will state a few reasons 

 which might, each or all of them, account for the 

 decrease. I do not consider the trawlers' three-mile 

 limit a sufficiently proscribed one, and at nightfall 

 the boats often draw much nearer to the mouth of 

 the river than even that allows. I feel sure that 

 many salmon fall victims to the nets. The limit 

 should be at least five miles. As there is so much 

 irrigation on the sheep farms nowadays, the Barr 

 comes down in fuller spate, which lasts but a short 

 time, and I think it possible that the great volume 

 of water may dislodge some of the salmon spawn and 

 destroy it. It is just possible that in the higher 

 reaches the salmon fry are taken out in large 

 quantities. They are very easily caught by means 

 of an ordinary bait." 



The ETIVE, in Argyllshire, maintains a good 

 reputation. Mr. Ian T. Malcolm of Glenetive, who 

 has fished it regularly for six seasons, writes : 



" As far as I am able to judge, there has been no 

 marked change in the sport. Like most West High- 

 land rivers, the Etive rises and falls quickly; but 

 when it is in condition I find that salmon and 



