Rivers. • 2 7 



it is not unusual for half an acre of bank to be washed 

 away, it can readily be understood that landowners look 

 with a jealous eye upon systems for the improvement 

 of angling which may possibly deprive them of their 

 property. 



To prevent the encroachment of rivers upon land, 

 and to insure the safety of the post-roads, long and 

 steep embankments of stone have frequently to be made, 

 and as these can only be constructed at great cost, it 

 follows that any meddling with the beds or banks of 

 rivers is, to say the least of it, a hazardous procedure. 



The land adjacent to some of the pools of many 

 Norwegian rivers lies flat and low, and long backwaters 

 are not uncommon which rise and fall with the main 

 stream. These backwaters are invaluable as nurseries 

 for the young Salmonidae, who can thus exist and grow 

 fat in comparative safety. 



Some few lessees or proprietors of Norwegian rivers 

 have gone to much expense in blasting the waterways 

 and in the construction of passes and ladders to provide 

 passages by which the fish can ascend to upper waters ; 

 and by these means many rivers have been much 

 improved, while to others small benefit would appear 

 to have accrued. 



