100 THE HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE SALMON. 



or dealers in salmon, know quite well that grilses are even 

 more early breeders than full-grown salmon. Well, the 

 roe in my five pound grilse counted no fewer than 3782 

 grains, and to the extent of that number I have marred 

 the chance of a similar quantity of smoits going to sea, 

 and returning free of cost of any kind, as a most delicious 

 fish to eat, and a capital size to angle. 



cc The mischief I happened to do on the Carron has 

 been done, in a greater or less degree, by every successful 

 angler over all Scotland, including of course those on the 

 Ness, and especially the fortunate captor of its annual 

 boast, 'the big fish/ Still, there is no* blame to these 

 sportsmen. The law sanctions the destruction now uni- 

 versally complained of, so that those who act under it 

 must not be found fault with; but the law itself, and those 

 who doggedly maintain it, must bear the blame ; thus 

 raising the question, Should such a law remain longer 

 un repealed ? 



" During the many years I was in Parliament, bills for 

 the protection and increase of salmon in Scotland were 

 unsuccessfully introduced in the House of Commons 

 almost every session, until it became quite evident that 

 selfish motives or gross ignorance, or both, prevailed so 

 strongly that no rational alteration of the present destruc- 

 tive statutes could be obtained. For when we passed a 

 wholesome change in the law through the House of Com- 

 mons, it was certain of being either neglected or strangled 

 in the House of Lords ; and to that source is unquestion- 

 ably attributable the maintenance of the existing most 

 injurious statute. I believe that it is safe to say, that the 

 proprietors of salmon fishings almost all over Scotland 

 have long since plainly seen the mischievous effects of the 

 law as altered by the present act, commonly called ' Home 

 Drummond's Act/ 



" Mr. Drummond, who is always open to conviction on 

 every subject, long ago has seen the mischief most unin- 

 tentionally effected by enlarging the open fishing season 

 from the 26th of August to the 14th of September, and 

 had he been allowed, he would have readily amended the 

 evils attendant upon his own act. So much so was this 

 his feeling, that after attempts had been in vain made to 



