4 THE NATURAL HISTORY AND HABITS 



but stakes and nets, the one after the other, until the 

 whole rivers and firths look more like forests than 

 any thing else ; and the event is, that very few fish 

 can get up to breed, and that few, after spawning, can 

 ever get down again, and the result is, that there is 

 little now to catch but grilses, and these a very scanty 

 crop, getting fewer and fewer every year. 



We again see that an Act of King James the 

 Fourth, in the year 1489, is particular towards the 

 government officials doing their duty. " Chap. 16th." 

 Item: Anent cruives and fish yairs which destroy 

 the fry of fish, and hurt the common profit of the 

 realm, it is statute and ordained, that the Acts and 

 Statutes made before be observed and keept, with 

 this addition : That letters be written to all sheriffs, 

 baillies, and stewards, to destroy, cast down, and 

 put away all such cruives within their bounds incon- 

 tinent without delay. And that dittay be tane of 

 them, that has cruives in contrary to said Act, and 

 to be paid for each cruive five pound, to be raised 

 on the master and upholder of the same. And in 

 likewise, that the sherrifs that destroys not the said 

 cruives within forty days of this Parliament, the said 

 sheriff to be amerced in forty pounds to the King. 

 And for millers that setts creels and nets in dams and 

 lades of water, destroying red fish, and fry of fish as 

 said is it shall be a point of dittay; and the pain 

 both of the cruives, creels, netts of millers, ilk ane 

 of them to be as an outlaw of red fish." 



An Act of King James the Fifth, in the year 1535, 

 says : " Our severen lord ordains the Acts made upon 

 them that slays red fish, smolts, and salmon in for- 

 bidden time, and the pains contained in the same to 

 be put in sharp execution." 



An Act of Queen Mary in the year 1583, repeats 

 the former Acts and ratifies them, with tins addition : 



