SALMON LEGISLA TION IN SCOTLAND. 493 



subject, a serious omission in the Scotch Act. It will be 

 useful to give a short resume* of the provisions of the 

 Act. 



Summary of Provisions. The Act (i) constitutes each 

 river, with its tributaries, lakes and estuary, and adjoining 

 sea-coast into a district ; (2) appoints commissioners to fix 

 boundaries between estuaries and sea, and between upper 

 and lower proprietors on rivers ; limits of districts and of 

 annual close time, and to make general regulations regard- 

 ing cruives and obstructions, meshes of nets, and due 

 observance of weekly close time; (3) Fixes annual close 

 time of one hundred and sixty-eight days for every district, 

 and weekly close time of thirty-six hours, with qualifications 

 as to rod and line, the annual close time being applicable 

 to every mode of fishing in river, lake, estuary and sea, 

 except rod and line, during extension to be fixed by 

 Commissioners ; (4) Imposes penalties, with forfeiture of 

 articles used, for fishing during close time, or with illegal 

 mesh of net ; for obstructing or impeding passage of fish ; 

 for selling fresh fish taken during annual close time ; for 

 taking or possessing foul or unseasonable salmon at any 

 time ; for fishing with lights ; for setting nets or traps to 

 catch fish leaping at a fall ; for using or selling salmon roe 

 for purpose of fishing ; and for polluting waters ; (5) En- 

 joins Commissioners to make bye-laws on matters com- 

 mitted to them, which (after certain steps) should have all 

 the force of law ; (6) Provides as to election, constitution, 

 and powers of District Boards ; (7) Declares illegal fishing 

 by three or more persons at night to be a criminal offence, 

 punishable by fine or imprisonment; (8) Provides for 

 prosecutions, and recovery and application of penalties and 

 expenses; (9) Extends the English Act of 1861, as to 

 fixed engines, to the Solway after January I, 1865, a 



