398 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



course, to the head of its estuary Eough Firth of a little more 

 than 20 miles. It flows from Loch Urr, a lonely loch some six 

 miles from Moniaive, and through which the boundary line between 

 the counties of Dumfries and Kirkcudbright passes. The course 

 for the first few miles is in open hill land, but by the time it 

 reaches the old Bridge of Urr, it has passed into a wide plain, and 

 the remainder of its track is sinuous and of easy gradient, although 

 usually with a pleasant run. The scenery of the lower reaches is 

 very charming. The river is never of any great size. Before 

 Dalbeattie is reached it flows for a short way parallel to the railway, 

 winding round wooded bluffs and skirting rich meadows. Even as 

 low as this it is a stream you could kick your hat across. 



At Dalbeattie it is joined by the Kirkgunzeon Lane, which helps 

 to swell its waters. As Palnackie is approached it becomes flat and 

 quiet, and small craft manage to penetrate the tidal waters. The 

 estuary of the Urr includes not only Eough Firth but Auchencairn 

 Bay, which rounds Almoreness Point to the west. In the latter part 

 of the estuary The Special Sol way Commission, in 1879, .granted certi- 

 ficates for four fixed engines with seven pockets opposite Orchardton 

 on the south-east side of Whiteport Bay, at Torr, and at Balcary. 



In the matter of close time the Urr has the distinction of rivalling 

 the Tweed in lateness. Angling goes on to 29th November, and 

 certainly, so far as salmon are concerned, angling can only be carried 

 on very late in the Urr. Fish do not enter this little river early. 

 A net is, I understand, occasionally drawn near the mouth, but 

 many fish are not found before the end of the netting season on 9th 

 September. Permission to angle in the Urr may be secured by 

 ticket from Eobert Maxwell, bookseller, High Street, Dalbeattie. 



Although fish are late they are sometimes surprisingly heavy for 

 so small a stream. I understand that fish up to 40 Ib. have been 

 taken. 



THE SOLWAY DEE. 



ANGLING SEASON : llth February to 31st October. 

 NETTING SEASON : llth February to 26th August. 



District Board meets in Kirkcudbright. W. Nicholson, Esq., Sheriff -Clerk, Kirkcudbright, 



is Clerk. 



This is a river which has never had much of a chance, but which 

 should repay someone, or some association, some day, if provision be 

 made for a fuller stock of fish, and proper regulations framed for 



