82 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 



during the spawning months of 1861, the quantity 

 of ova obtained was small. The keeper, however, 

 has collected a considerable amount from the beds 

 which were left almost dry when the river fell 

 low, by this means securing the ova which other- 

 wise would have been lost. 



The question that now remains to be considered 

 is, Has the artificial propagation, even on the 

 small scale that has been carried on at Stormont- 

 field, been of advantage to the fishing proprietors 

 on the Tay? We have no doubt about the 

 matter, for on referring to a statement of the 

 rental of the Tay published by the proprietors 

 themselves, we find that in the year 1828 the 

 year of the passing of Home Drurnmond's Act 

 the rental was 14,574. It gradually fell off 

 every year afterwards until 1852, when it reached 

 the minimum, amounting to 7,973 5s. In 

 1853 the artificial rearing commenced, and in 

 1858, when the statement was printed, the rental 

 was 11,487 2s 5d; it has now, 1862, reached 

 what it was in 1828. We are aware that other 

 reasons are given for the rise in the rental, such 

 as the extra price of the fish in the London 

 market; but we should like to know how it 

 happens that all the other rivers in Scotland (with 



