ENGLAND AND WALES 217 



with the gaff, and the fish slid off. The landlord 

 was very sympathetic. He assured me that it was 

 only " a small fish.' 1 As it had seemed one of the 

 biggest I had ever met in a casual way, this puzzled 

 me. Next day I learned that any salmon under 

 21 Ibs. is a small fish for the Avon. The salmon of 

 that river run to weight. I did not stay very long 

 that night; but I heard, and dimly saw, a good 

 many of them splashing about, and they seemed 

 very large. Lord Normanton, whose residence is 

 near Ringwood, informs me that there has been 

 a falling-off in the stock. He thinks that the 

 chief cause of the decline is over -netting at the 

 mouth of the river. 



The TEST has of recent years been suffering from 

 want of rain in summer. Not so many salmon as 

 usual have run up. Mr. Douglas Everett, Romsey, 

 writes : 



" There is no doubt that if there was a Board of 

 Conservators on the river the salmon fishing would 

 much improve. Proper regulations of the hatches 

 at the mills, and perhaps of those at the water 

 meadows, could be arranged. A look-out might be 

 kept in the estuary at Redbridge and on the spawn- 

 ing beds. The upper proprietors who own trout 

 fishing do not wish a Board of Conservators. I 

 cannot think why. The salmon could be kept 

 from running farther than Romsey. Regulations as 

 to weed-cutting would be a boon to every fisherman 

 on the river.*" 



The FROME has been very markedly falling off 



