280 THE FALLS OF BALLYSHANNON. 



and Lancashire should fare sumptuously 

 every Friday." 



" That is precisely my idea," said the 

 Squire. " In every other case, the owner 

 of the land is the owner also of the beasts 

 and birds which the land produces : the 

 owner of the water is the owner also of the 

 fish that swim in the water. But with the 

 salmon, the case is different ; one person is 

 made the owner of all the fish in the river, 

 whether that river run through his own land 

 or not. The reason for this difference is 

 evident, — it is for the benefit of the public 

 that it should be so. The salmon enters 

 the river fit for the market, but as he pro- 

 ceeds inland he becomes red, and by the 

 time he reaches his breeding-grounds, where 

 he is most defenceless, he is fit for nothing. 

 It is quite evident, therefore, that if this 

 species of property followed the laws which 

 regulate everything else, those who profit by 

 it would be unable to protect it, and those 

 who are able to protect it would have no 

 interest in doing so." 



" Precisely," said the Ballyshannoner. 

 " And now see what must be the ultimate 

 effect of this new discovery on the markets. 



