THE FORTH 39 



and about half-way down to Alloa the river Devon enters from the 

 left, which in the past has more than once done serious damage in 

 destroying salmon. The Devon is used by distilleries, and on one 

 occasion some 347 fish were found dead. The Carron, which enters 

 the estuary at Grangemouth after flowing through a region of iron 

 works, and which in early days was a salmon river, is now reduced 

 to a state beyond description. 



It was at the mouth of the Devon that, during the winter of 1901 

 or 1902, three fishermen, who were not particularly anxious to 

 have their movements observed, are reported to have caught a 

 salmon of 103 Ib. No visible record of this monster was retained, so 

 that no actual proof can be produced. On this account it is not 

 surprising that many decline to believe in the fish's existence. I 

 had, however, an opportunity of putting questions to one of the 

 men, and as a result I accepted the statement he made, viz. that the 

 fish weighed 103 Ib. and a few ounces. My informant said it was 

 without exception the ugliest fish he had ever seen, was black in 

 colour and covered with sea lice in the region of the pectoral fins, a 

 male fish with the hook of the lower jaw penetrating the upper jaw. 

 The record of a very large male fish taken in winter time in tidal 

 water is not out of harmony with what many other indications show 

 to be possible. I take the man's word as to the weight, because he 

 is a quiet self-reliant man, and because he has no reason to give 

 false information. Of course, we all know how large fish grow after 

 death, but my informant isn't even an angler, I believe. 



Eichard Franck, writing about the Forth at Stirling two hundred 

 and fifty years ago, says that " the price of a salmon formerly 

 exceeded the value of sixpence sterling, which I suppose no English- 

 man will grudge, nor think it unreasonable to give at any time," and 

 goes on to describe how people get ill by eating over much. 1 



The Craigforth Cruive was long complained against as hindering 

 the ascent of fish. The dyke is a large and substantial structure, 

 there being one large opening for the cruive box, the only passage by 

 which fish could ascend to the upper waters. It was pointed out 

 some years ago that this cruive was situated where " the sea fillis and 

 ebbis," and where, therefore, by the early statutes governing these 

 matters, no cruive should remain. The angling proprietors in the 

 Teith, after some prolonged negotiations, at last succeeded in 1904 in 

 purchasing this engine for the purpose of leaving it unfished. 

 They at the same time purchased certain net and coble fishings 



1 Northern Memoirs, Edition 1821, p. 133. 



