FRESHWATER TROUT 23 



It is supposed that the heavy floods we now have 

 shift the gravel, and carry off a large quantity of the 

 spawn of the trout, and also of the eggs of aquatic 

 insects. Then, again, when the waters are very small, 

 the eggs of aquatic insects are left dry, and their 

 vitality destroyed, so that the number of insects 

 upon which trout feed is materially lessened, and at 

 the same time the number and size of trout, which, 

 as has just been stated, depends in a great measure 

 upon the quantity of food. If drainage, for which 

 there is no remedy, has such an injurious effect, there 

 is the more necessity for looking after the causes 

 which might be stopped ; and the worst of these are 

 the manufactories, bleachfields, etc., which are so 

 thickly studded along the banks of our southern 

 streams, and which send their dyes and other dele- 

 terious refuse straight into the streams, causing sad 

 havoc. When we mentioned this in our first edition, 

 the " Border Advertiser " came down upon us as 

 having fallen into " the vulgar or rather urban error, 

 that manufactories injured the fishing." It would 

 be worse than useless to argue the point with a man 

 living upon the banks of Gala Water. If Gala 

 Water from Galashiels to Tweed, which, to use the 

 words of Mr. Stoddart, " is an unseemly ditch, full 

 of the blackest and most noxious dyes," and which 

 the " Border Advertiser " must see and smell daily, 

 will not convince him, no argument will. Why, the 

 "Man of Ross," who has propounded the rather 

 startling theory that grilse are not young salmon, 

 and whose theory " Blackwood's Magazine " has 



