1()2 . 1?H SAiJVf ON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



cte{>6tid1$ k ver^{muc;h on the water-flow at the obstruction in 

 question. If fish are able, owing to early floods, to surmount the 

 dyke which they mostly do at the extreme north end the pools 

 above become occupied to a greater or less extent. If dry weather 

 prevents this, the fish are sooner or later netted out. 



Only one other obstruction occurs in their further passage, viz. 

 The Loups, i.e. I presume, the places where fish have to loup or 

 jump. Before reaching The Loups at The Burn, fish pass the fishings 

 of Kirktonhill, Gallery, and Pert, Balmakewan, Inglesrnaldie, and 

 Kinnairdie, Stracathro, Edzell, and The Burn and Arnhall. The 

 Loups, as the writer has seen them, are not very formidable, being 

 cascades in a rocky gorge. With the deep water which exists 

 below, autumn fish will easily surmount the obstructions in suitable 

 water-flow, and once past The Loups fish have a run of 15 miles 

 to Loch Lee, all of which water is fished by Lord Dalhousie. On 

 the West Water, a tributary of considerable size entering from the 

 south-west at Stracathro, loups also occur, situated from the sea 

 about the same distance as The Loups of The Burn. 



RIVER SOUTH ESK. 



This river rises in the extreme north-west of Forfarshire, in the 

 high lands of Glen Doll, where the White Water issues from its 

 springs close on three thousand feet up, and descends to beautiful 

 Glen Clova. The source of the Isla, which drains into the Tay at 

 Meikleour, is only some three or four miles to the west. 



It is a comparatively small stream which descends Glen Clova, 

 nor is it swelled by many burns in its run of about seventeen miles 

 to Cortachy Castle. Here, however, it is joined by an important 

 head feeder, the Prosen Water. 



From the junction downwards, the river becomes of some size, 

 though in summer it dwindles away to a rather serious extent, and 

 flows other 20 miles to Montrose Basin, where it becomes tidal, find- 

 ing outlet to the sea at Montrose itself. Only one tributary of size 

 similar to the Prosen enters the main river in this its main course, 

 viz. the Noran Water, which, rising in Glen Ogil, north-west from 

 Tannadice, enters the main river on the left bank about midway 

 between Tannadice and Brechin. The entire drainage area is about 

 two hundred and forty-five square miles, and a great part of the 

 river, as stated at the commencement of this chapter, is of a very flat 

 gradient. 



The South Esk is a river in which great improvements have been 



