THE AYR- WATER. THE DOON. 421 



fifty years ago it averaged little more than one- fourth 

 of the above-mentioned sum. 



The GARNOCK takes its rise not far from the lochs 

 of Kilbirnie and Castle Semple, on the confines of Ren- 

 frewshire, and after receiving accessions from the Rye, 

 Caaf, Dusk, and Lugton waters, discharges itself into 

 the sea near Irvine. Salmon ascend this river during 

 close-time, and occasionally in the open season. It 

 contained, at one time, abundance of trout, both sea 

 and fresh-water, but these have, of late years, greatly 

 fallen off in quantity. The Dusk was esteemed also a 

 good angling stream. In Kilbirnie loch there are 

 trout, pike, and perch. The Rye and Caaf burns are 

 much poached by persons using nets and quicklime. 



The IRVINE is but an indifferent fishing-stream, but 

 one of its tributaries, the Cessnock, is in good repute, 

 although greatly injured by poaching. 



The AYR pursues a course of above thirty miles. 

 Near its rise it is increased by the Garpel and Green- 

 ock waters, and further down, by the Lugar and Coyl. 

 It contains yellow trout, and salmon were formerly 

 caught there in great abundance; but the angling 

 throughout its course is now reckoned very indifferent, 

 in comparison at least to what it once was. Some of 

 the lochs near which it runs contain pike and perch. 



The course of the DOON, from Loch Doon, is up- 

 wards of eighteen miles. As an angling river it is 

 superior to the Ayr- water, and is more frequented than 

 the other by salmon and sea-trout. It also contains 

 pike and a good number of yellow trout. Its channel, 

 in the upper part of its course, is rugged and narrow. 

 Below Berbeth it expands into a small lake, after 

 which, as far down as Patna, it runs sluggishly for five 

 or six miles, when it again assumes a bold picturesque 



