58 SALMON. 



his colour when living in the river, should have so de- 

 cided a one after he was dead, — not bringing back the 

 original dye, but removing the dark tint entirely. 



But to return to my subject. 



It is an undoubted fact that Salmon ascend some 

 rivers much earlier than others. I have rented fisheries 

 both in Tweed and Tay, and to my own knowledge the 

 latter river is a month earlier than the former. The 

 Esk and the Eden both fall into the Solway Firth, and 

 are only separated at their mouths by a sharp point of 

 land ; yet, according to the statement of Mr. Howard*, a 

 proprietor and renter of the river Eden, new fish go up 

 that river three months before they ascend the Esk, and 

 the month of February is one of the greatest produce 

 there. The Irthing falls into the Eden, and may be a 

 fourth of its water ; but no Salmon run up it, except in 

 spawning time. Now the waters of the Eden may be 

 presumed to be of a warmer temperature than those of 

 the Esk, which latter is a brawling shallow stream, 

 wider also than the Eden, which is of a deeper and 

 more tranquil nature. 



Snow water is offensive to fish, and they will not 

 ascend a river whilst it is impregnated with it. Setting- 

 aside this impediment, and ceteris paribus, I believe the 

 season of all rivers depends upon the temperature of 

 their waters during the winter and spring months. 

 Thus the Ness is the forwardest river in Scotland, which 

 the following table of monthly captures produced by 

 Mr. Alexander Fraser f will prove. 



* Evidence before Select. Committee in 1825, p. 140. 

 f Ibid. p. 42. 



