100 PEARL FISHING. 
I conversed had the same report—never saw such a thing, although 
quite conversant with them. Of Loch Doon, in Ayrshire, and its 
streams the same can be said. So much for the fresh water lochs. 
Regarding Loch Ryan, I have information that no pearls are found 
in the streams running into the loch, and the loch itself contains 
only those small blue-white pearls found in sea mussels, which are 
of no value as gems, and would shew dark on most skins. My 
investigations regarding the lochs were fruitless, but I obtained 
much information regarding the streams of that lovely country to 
which the mussel is partial. The pearl mussel is widely scattered 
over the country, and cur land has long been famed for its pearls. 
The Romans were well acquainted with this gem in British waters, 
and many of them were sent to Rome, and it is said that one of 
the temptations to Czsar’s Invasion was the abundance of pearls 
produced in this country, Cesar having quite a passion for this 
lovely gem. There is as little likelihood of the Roman passing 
any water containing them as there is of our race passing over a 
country whose native inhabitants are wearing gold bangles with- 
out endeavouring to find the source from which it is procured. 
I have little doubt, notwithstanding what has been said to the con- 
trary, that evidences of their residence will be found both by Dee 
and Doon. Pearls of great size have been found in Scotland, and 
it is said that more than one of the pearls in our Scotch Regalia 
are of native origin. 
The Tay, the Forth, Don, Dee, and Esk in Aberdeenshire are 
famous for their pearls. Those on the Tay, from Loch Tay dewn- 
wards, seem to have been a mine of wealth, a fishery existing 
here that was said to have produced £10,000 worth of pearls in 
four years, with the usual result that the Fishery was ruined. 
But no allusion is made, in any work to which I have command, 
of the streams of Galloway or Ayrshire ; but nearly all the streams 
in the south-west of Scotland contain them—Nith, Cairn, Kirk- 
gunzeon Lane, Cree, Dee, Doon, Fleet, &c. Shells are found in 
Nith at Blackwood, Ellisland, and Carnsalloch, and on Cairn 
they are found in several places, such as Snade Estate, Dalgonar, 
and lower down to Nith. I have also seen pearls got in Nith, 
but none of them were of any value. 
The two streams that I particularly paid attention to are 
those most noted for their pearls—Dee and Doon. One fact I 
noted was that the fish has an aversion to still water, and I found 
