80 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



salmon fishery in the Severn, near Poole Quay, says* 

 the best fish are commonly taken there in November, 

 December, and January, though they are not numerous, 

 and that in the Dovey and Tivey, two rivers with 

 which he is well acquainted, the Salmon are always 

 in the best season at the period when the Severn 

 Salmon are in the worst condition. 



But if Salmon prefer the warmest rivers in the 

 winter, they spawn earliest in those that are most cold. 

 Thus in the shallow mountain streams which pour 

 into the Tay nearer its sources (I do not mean such as 

 may issue from lochs), the fish spawn much earlier than 

 those in the main bed of the river. The late John 

 Crerar, head fisherman and forester to the Duke of 

 Atholl, wrote thus in his manuscript : — 



" There are two kinds of creatures that I am well 

 acquainted with, — the one a land animal, the other a 

 water one : the red deer, and the salmon. In October 

 the deer ruts, and the salmon spawns. The deer begins 

 soonest, high up amongst the hills, particularly in 

 frosty weather; so does the salmon begin to spawn 

 earlier in frosty weather than in soft. The master 

 hart would keep all the other harts from the hind, if 

 he could; and the male salmon would keep all the 

 other males from the female, if he was able." 



The gross rental of the salmon fishings in Tweed is 

 very considerable; but has varied very much in amount 

 from time to time, according to the plenty or scarcity 

 of fish. Mr. John Wilsonf states, that during the seven 



* Minutes of Evidence taken in 1S25, &c., p. 14. 

 t Minutes of Evidence, &c. in 1824, p. 9. 



