252 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



ascent. Fish go up at the extreme right-hand side (looking upwards) 

 of the first section ; then turning, they have the shelter of an over- 

 hanging ledge as they swim to the left to gain a small pool situated 

 between the two sections of the fall. The upper section has a better 

 break than the lower, so that fish, with one more zig-zag, reach the 

 top. It would not be at all difficult to elongate the zig-zags so as 

 to produce easier gradients. Some building-up would be necessary 

 in the lower section, where the channel would be carried into the 

 present bank of the river. The value of doing so would be very 

 great, as the increase to the stock of fish would be material in a few 

 years. It is a little difficult to understand why something has not 

 been done long ago. The cost would be comparatively trifling. 

 Spring fish would never ascend, if the pass was formed in the 

 present fall as suggested, but summer fish would do so, and late 

 gravid fish would for the first time be of real use to the district. 



All along the Pentland Firth coast the bag nets catch more grilse 

 than salmon. 1 find on examining a series of returns from Forss, 

 covering a period of 20 years, that from four to seven grilse are 

 captured for every salmon. It should be realised that the spring 

 fish of our northern rivers are the fish which did not enter fresh 

 water as grilse, but remained over that period in the sea, and further 

 that the grilse which do enter our rivers spawn. It is, therefore, 

 highly important that they be given every opportunity of doing so. 

 It is, indeed, a misfortune if the particular grilse which succeed 

 in passing the nets and enter fresh water are not able to ascend 

 freely. 



A considerable amount of hatching was at one time carried on 

 at Forss, and a special feature was that the fry, instead of being 

 turned out in the main stream or into side streams in the ordinary 

 way, were turned only into streams which had been first cleared of 

 trout, parr, and eels. A section of a burn was run dry by diverting 

 the water temporarily. It was then screened off, and again supplied 

 with water, the result being that the fry occupied a perfectly natural 

 stream free from enemies. Here they were hand-fed, and grew to 

 an unusual size. They were also believed to have migrated seaward 

 considerably sooner than the wild smolts. These operations were 

 carried on by Mr. Nicol, now with Mr. Pilkington at Sandside, where 

 hatching on an extensive scale is carried on, and where some very 

 interesting experiments have been made. 



