IRELAND 181 



my first fish, and from that date until June 28 I 

 took fifty -three salmon, the heaviest of which 

 weighed 19 Ibs. The following may interest you : 

 On November 6, 1888, on the Pavilion water of the 

 Tweed, which then belonged to the Honourable Mrs. 

 Henry, I beat the record of that water, killing eleven 

 salmon in a day one before lunch, the remainder 

 after. The weights were 19 Ibs., 18 Ibs., 18 Ibs., 

 18 Ibs., 16 Ibs., 16 Ibs., 16 Ibs., 13 Ibs., 13 Ibs., 8 Ibs., 

 7 Ibs. All but one were taken on a fly tied by 

 myself, a sort of Silver Grey." 



The SLIGO RIVER, in some parts called the GARA- 

 VOGUE, is peculiarly interesting. For what can here 

 be told I am indebted to Colonel W. G. Wood- 

 Martin, Cleveragh, well known as the historian of 

 Sligo, who owns part of the stream. Since 1871 the 

 opening day has been January 1. Scientific investi- 

 gation had shown that the fish in the river run as 

 early as November or December ; indeed, fresh-run 

 " spring " fish are sometimes seen about the middle 

 of October. 



" It seems surprising that the Sligo and the BALLY- 

 SADARE rivers, in close proximity, should differ so 

 much in their seasons. The principal run of fish in 

 the Sligo is in January ; in the Ballysadare in May. 

 The Sligo flows with but a short channel from Lough 

 Gill ; and, as has been observed by a writer on the 

 subject, rivers issuing from large lakes afford early 

 salmon, the waters having been purified by deposition 

 of waste matter. On the other hand, rivers swollen 

 by melting snows in the spring months are later in 



