APPENDIX. 133 



MR JOHN HECTOR, TENANT OF SALMON FISHINGS ON 

 THE SEA, ex adverso CERTAIN LANDS IN KINCARDINE 

 COMMENCED SALMON FISHING IN 1819 OR 1820. 



2754 LORD COLVILLE of Culross : Do you think any 

 salmon spawn in the sea? I think they do. 



2755 Did you ever find one spawning in the sea? No. 

 Judging by the quantity of fish that I have seen in the 

 sea, I should think they could not all go in to the rivers. 



2756 CHAIRMAN: Have you ever found any smoult 

 or salmon fry in the sea? I have. 



2757 LORD COLVILLE : Have you ever found a fish 

 very near spawning in the sea? I have; near the end 

 of the season 



2758 Do you think that those fish that are very full 

 of roe would spawn in the sea if they could not get to 

 the rivers? I cannot say; I have not tested it. My 

 opinion is, that if all the fish came from the sea into 

 the rivers, for the purpose of spawning, the rivers could 

 not contain them. The sea is teeming with fish ; I have 

 seen great numbers in it. 



2759 Do not you think those fish that are full of 

 roe are prevented from going into the rivers, and that 

 is why they are so found full of roe in the sea, that they 

 cannot find their way into the rivers, or are prevented 

 by stake-nets? They are not prepared for spawning till 

 the end of the season. My opinion is, that the fish 

 taken in the summer season are not on their way to the 

 rivers for the purpose of spawning; that is my candid 

 opinion; and we kill a great deal of fish in the sea. 

 I have no hesitation in saying, from my experience in 

 fishing for 40 years, that they would not go to the 

 rivers 



2760 CHAIRMAN : Does it consist with your know- 

 ledge that experiments have been made with a view to 

 the propagation of salmon in salt water, and that those 



