20 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



No record of Lower Floors, as it is now called, occurs for that 

 year, but it has been reported that two rods had three most re- 

 markable days on 25th, 26th, and 27th October, killing 91 fish. 

 On October 22nd, 1900, the Duke of Eoxburghe himself killed 16 fish. 

 The late Mr. George M'Culloch had Lower Floors for three years 

 from 1901, and during that period made some very considerable 

 scores. On 8th November, 1901, he had 18 fish averaging just over 



18 Ib. On the last day of that season he had 11. 1903 was, 

 however, his great year. His scores on seven consecutive days' 

 fishing from October 15, were : 13, 11, 11, 12, 7, 15, and 13. In 

 November he had five consecutive days of 12, 17, 16, 15, and 10. 

 Then on 20th November came his greatest day, when he killed 19 

 fish, in the Garden Wall and Peat Pools, averaging 20 J Ib. The 

 weights were : 39 Ib., 28 Ib., 24 Ib., 24 Ib., 24 Ib., 23 Ib., 21 Ib., 20 Ib., 

 20 Ib., 20 Ib., 19 Ib., 19 Ib., 18 Ib., 17 Ib., 17 Ib., 16 Ib., 16 Ib. 15 Ib., 

 and 14 Ib. Next day he had 11 fish, and the day after that 18 

 fish. In this couple of months his total was 285 salmon and 21 

 grilse. For the accompanying photograph of Mr. M'Culloch and his 



19 fish on the 20th November I am indebted to the kindness of 

 Mr. W. R. Plummer. 



Taking now the totals for Upper and Lower Floors, Sprouston, 

 and Ednam House Water, since 1903, we have these great totals : 



Year. Upper Floors. Lower Floors. Sprouston. Ednam. Total. 



1903 - 293 321 262 149 1025 



1904 - 29 112 15 156 



1905 - 55 40 138 48 281 



1906 - 139 105 268 104 616 



1907 - 83 61 116 39 299 



1908 - 63 35 158 47 303 



It is of great interest to notice also the number of fish taken in 

 Sprouston Water in the three first months of the season, showing 

 very clearly, what I state elsewhere, that the Tweed has the making 

 of a first-class spring river if only the fish were allowed to ascend in 

 sufficient numbers. Take the three last Springs at Sprouston, the 

 numbers are : 



fFeb. - 37 (Feb. - 12 



1906-^ Mar. - 18 



1907^ Mar. - 10 



(Apr. - 14 | I Apr. - 4 



fFeb. - 10 



1908^ Mar. - 9 



(.Apr. - 14 



A curious coincidence was reported by Mr. Alex. Scott as having 

 happened in the Floors Water in October, 1908. Lord Herbert, 

 fishing on the 19th, lost a fish and with it a small silver Wilkinson. 



