AND ANGLING SONGS. 393 



the angling community at large. I shall treat of these desiderata 

 seriatim. First of all, as coming under this denomination, I 

 would urge an extension of the annual close-time, which exten- 

 sion shall be made applicable to the whole of Tweed and its tri- 

 butaries, with the exception, if insisted on, of that portion of the 

 main river over which the tidal influences prevail, namely, from 

 the neighbourhood of Norham downwards. The new Tweed Acts 

 have now been in operation for six or seven years, and a pretty 

 fair opportunity has accordingly been given for judging of their 

 efficiency as remedial measures. On all hands, I think, it must 

 be admitted, that they have worked, on the whole, very satisfac- 

 torily, and that under d^wbacks not contemplated, and which 

 it was impossible to provide against. Among their beneficial 

 provisions, those which have interdicted the employment of fixed 

 engines in the capture of salmon, and insist upon the restoration 

 to the river of foul and unseasonable fish, hold a leading part. 

 The salutary effects of the last-mentioned provision, in particular, 

 have discovered themselves, both in the preponderance as to 

 numbers, which is being established in favour of the salmon or 

 adult fish over the grilses, and in the increased average size 

 attained by the former. 



These good results, however, it appears to me, are capable of 

 being greatly enhanced by the rectification of what the promoters 

 of the bill of 1859 must at length have become convinced was 

 an error of some consequence. I allude to the opening of the 

 Tweed for angling purposes so early as the 1st of February. 

 That even the lower proprietors, who, in order to have the pre- 

 sumed produce of their fisheries placed on an equality with that 

 of our northern rivers, were the most clamant in behalf of an 

 early opening, have gained any advantage from it, is very ques- 

 tionable. Judging from the reports circulated by the press, of 

 captures effected at the various netting stations during the month 

 of February, for some years tack, I am led to think that great 



