THE FORTH 37 



like that of the Tay, was formerly much fished by hang net, now, by 

 House of Lords decision, declared to be an illegal method of fishing 

 for salmon within the limits of an estuary. Perhaps it is a little 

 premature to speak of this hang netting as quite discontinued in the 

 Forth District, since the Board have had continual trouble in 

 checking it, and cases of breach of interdict have only recently been 

 settled. As in the Tay estuary also a considerable winter fishing 

 for sparlings or smelts is carried on. 



The landward section of the district includes the Trossachs and 

 the celebrated scenery of Lochs Achray and Katrine, the Pass of 

 Leny, Loch Lubnaig, and Strathyre; places better known to the 

 tourist than I suppose almost any other in Scotland; sung of by 

 Sir Walter Scott, and ever now linked with the romantic memories 

 of Fitz James and Eoderick Dhu, of Eob Eoy and Helen M'Gregor. 

 The famous outlaw and his two sons lie buried at Balquhidder by 

 Loch Voil. But one must resist the temptation to follow the train 

 of recollections associated with so bold, so wild, and withal so strong 

 a character. 



To gain an adequate idea of the geography of the Forth District 

 it is necessary to understand that there are three main lines of water- 

 flow; one coming from Loch Katrine through Loch Achray and 

 Loch Vennacher, the central line ; one on the north coming from 

 Loch Voil through Loch Lubnaig and uniting with the central line 

 at Callander ; lastly, one coming from Loch Chon through Loch Ard, 

 and continuing separate from the others till a couple of miles out of 

 Stirling. This last is the line of the Kiver Forth. The river formed 

 by the confluence of the two others at Callander, and flowing from 

 Callander to the junction with the Forth near Stirling is the Eiver 

 Teith. The Forth is considered the main river, since by reason of 

 its extraordinary windings it is certainly the longest, but the Teith 

 is the more important river from a salmon fishing point of view. 



There seems to be little doubt that the central line, that coming 

 through the Trossachs, formed originally the principle source of 

 water supply to the Forth. The great misfortune of the district is 

 that these head waters of so much value to the salmon have been 

 found to be necessary for the more important use of man. The City 

 of Glasgow takes its chief water supply from Loch Katrine. Sixty 

 to seventy million gallons of water are taken every twenty-four 

 hours, and only a little over five million gallons are allowed to flow 

 down the stream to Loch Achray by way of compensation. It is 

 useless to mourn over this. Glasgow has got her water supply for 



