THE TWEED 



19 



old, and had spawned twice in its life-time, once as a grilse in 1903, 

 and again in 1905. 



With regard to the catch of salmon in Floors Water, the Duke of 

 Eoxburghe has very kindly let me have the perusal of the Floors 

 Fishing Books, which date back to 1839. In the early years it has 

 been customary to enter the kelts and baggots landed, as well as the 

 clean fish, and also as one goes through the records it is noticeable 

 that angling was apparently not carried on in late autumn to the 

 same extent as now. Not infrequently no fishing is recorded in 

 November; occasionally there is no record in October, or only three 

 or four days' catches are mentioned. This makes those early records 

 scarcely comparable with the carefully kept records of more recent 

 years, which are complete up to the 30th November, 1908. I there- 

 fore propose to deal in detail only with the period from 1890 

 onwards. In passing, however, I should like to mention the year 

 1846, on account of the number of clean fish which appears to have 

 been taken at a fairly early date. In seventeen days' fishing in 

 April of that year 37 clean fish are recorded, and in eight days' 

 fishing in May, 20 clean fish. The earliest date in which a clean 

 fish is noted is 20th March, 1868. In later years, notably in 1903, 

 Upper Floors produced 2 clean fish in February, and 2 in March, 

 while Lower Floors produced 5 clean fish in February and 4 in 

 March. This was a marvellous year in many ways, and will be 

 referred to later. 



In the Floors Kecords, the Upper and Lower Water is first 

 divided in 1890 ; in 1903, Sprouston and Ednam House Water is 

 added. The following is the record of Upper and Lower Floors 

 Water alone. 



Year. Upper. Lower. Total. Averages. 



183 



219 



The very large fish was taken in 1886, and 15 seem to have 

 been taken by Mr. Pryor in Upper Floors that day. The Fishing 

 Book simply adds : " Heaviest 57 J Ib." I believe brevity must be 

 the soul of more things than wit. 



