NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SALMON. 15 



were destroyed at the same time by the spear alone 

 on the rivers Avon and Harbourne (the latter only 

 a branch of the Dart) it has been calculated that 

 200 million salmon spawn were prevented from 

 coming to life. How many were lost to the public 

 by the premature death of those breeding fish of 

 which no account could be procured, it is impos- 

 sible to say : a few years since sixty old fish were 

 killed by one family, and perhaps carried into one 

 farm-house. This murderous operation is always 

 carried on in the fence days, when the fish are 

 unseasonable, and when the destruction of one 

 is the destruction of a great many thousand, even 

 allowing for all accidents, and for the loss of 

 those destroyed by other enemies. 



I suggest, then, that there should be a grat- 

 ing affixed at the entrance of every mill-leat to 

 keep the fish, both old and young, in the na- 

 tural stream ; and where weirs are erected in order 

 to conduct the water into artificial cuts, there 

 ought to be an escape of sufficient dimensions for 

 the fish to get away and keep in the natural 

 stream also. 



There ought likewise to be gratings placed before 

 every mill-wheel, which is in general not above 

 a quarter of an inch from the bottom-floor ; for the 

 fish seeking and trying for a place to get out of 

 the mill-leat are very apt to get entangled with 

 the wheel, and they are then crushed to death. 

 I have been informed that seven old returning 

 fish were destroyed thus in one night at one place, 



