FIFTH DAY.] THE TA Y AND TWEED. 121 



always contained taking-fish after every flood in the 

 summer. In the Tay, only ten years ago, at Micklevre, 

 I was myself one of two anglers who took eight fine 

 fish, three of them large salmon, in a short morning's 

 fishing ; but now, except in spring fishing, when the 

 fish are little worth taking, there is no certainty of 

 sport in these rivers ; and one, two, or three fish 

 (which last is of rare occurrence), are all that even an 

 experienced angler can hope to take in a day's skilful 

 and constant angling. 



that seven years after, viz., in 1819, they had risen to 14,627?. the 

 stake nets having been removed by law as illegal obstructions. 



Considering the great deterioration of the majority of salmon rivers, 

 and the danger there is of their utter ruin if a reform in the manner 

 of fishing them be not effected, surely the subject is deserving of, 

 and urgently requires, the immediate attention of the legislature ; and 

 now that the habits of the salmon, and its peculiarities, are better 

 known, were competent naturalists consulted in preparing a bill, there 

 could hardly be any difficulty in forming an effective one for the 

 regulation of the salmon fisheries. 



A new bill is reported to be in preparation for the Scotch rivers, 

 with this intent, to make the close time earlier, except for rod fishing, 

 and protracting the time of the latter, so as to allow of more fish 

 running up to breed, and promoting the early, the most safe and 

 productive breeding, not endangered by winter floods and ice, and 

 giving the proprietors of the higher streams, and the streams where the 

 fish breed, an interest in preserving them. 



If this bill be approved, and succeed, it is to be hoped that a 

 measure of a similar kind will be adopted for the English rivers ; for 

 many of which it is much more needed than for the Scotch. See 

 additional note at the end of the volume, relative to the facts recently 

 ascertained respecting the salmon. J. D.] 



