CAIRN NET 65 



begin to spawn earlier in frosty weather than in 

 soft. The master hart would keep all the other harts 

 from the hind, if he could ; and the male salmon 

 would keep all the other males from the female, if 

 he was able." 



The gross rental of the salmon fishings in Tweed 

 is very considerable ; but has varied very much in 

 amount from time to time, according to the plenty 

 or scarcity of fish. Mr. John Wilson* states, that 

 during the seven years previous to 1824 it averaged 

 12,000 a year ; but in that year only about 10,000. 

 With the present rental I am unacquainted. 



' The fishings, as regards their relative value, 

 may be divided into the following classes : The 

 first comprehends the short distance from the 

 mouth of the river to Berwick Bridge, where alone 

 there are probably a greater number of salmon 

 captured than in all the remainder of the river. 

 From Berwick Bridge to Norham, to which place 

 the tide reaches, may be considered the second class : 

 as far as this place the net and coble only are in use. 

 From Norham to Coldstream Bridge the fishings are 

 of still less value ; and here, besides the net and 

 coble, the various modes of fishing practised in the 

 upper parts of the river are also in use rod fishing, 

 setting, leistering ; cairn, hanging, and straik nets. 

 From Coldstream to the Bridge of Kelso the net and 

 coble are used only partially in floods ; and on 

 Mondays, says Mr. Houy, when, by the cessation of 

 the lower fishings on Sunday, the salmon get further 

 up, I have seen from 100 to 500 salmon and gilses 



* Minutes of Evidence, etc., in 1824, p. 9. 

 G 



