PEARL FISHING. 101 
in those parts where the water has a sluggish lake-like current 
there were no living shells. For instance, while there are many 
about the Dee near Hensol, from the five miles of still water from 
Bridge-of-Dee down to Glenlochar Bridge there are no fish to be 
had, but at Glenlochon they commence again with the current, and 
are then found right down to Kirkcudbright. While they dislike 
still water, they have also an aversion to those wild rushes like 
what is found in lovely Ness Glen, and from Loch Doon right 
down the Glen none are to be found, their favourite haunt being 
nice ripples with gravel bottoms, or those little banks of gravel 
behind boulders. Both Doon and Dee are lake fed, and I have 
found that streams flowing from basins are usually better stocked 
than those that have no break to their currents, the still water 
seeming to have an equalising effect upon the temperature, as well 
as a clarifying influence upon the water, this being one of the 
reasons in my opinion why the upper Kirkeunzeon Lane has pro- 
duced the splendid pearls I now show you (this is the property of 
Mr Clark of Cullochan, Terregles), and a fine cross was formed of 
pearis got here by the late proprietor’s aunt, Mrs Marmaduke 
Constable Maxwell, of Terregles. 
At first I asked myself, why should the fish be more plenti- 
ful in Dee and Doon than in other streams near them? Pollution 
might be the reason in Nith and Cairn, but I found on examination 
that such waters as Deuch and Ken, which above Dalry is an un- 
polluted stream, had few, not but what they are found here, for 
one lady assured me that she had a brooch set with pearls found 
in Deuch. There is also a circumstance connected with Dee that 
I mention that may have some influence, that is its high tempera- 
ture compared with Nith. The observations were taken some 
years since by Mr Andson, and a correspondent on the Dee, viz. : 
—Nith, spring quarter (breeding season), 47°38; Dee, 50-9. 
Summer quarter—Nith, 60:2; Dee, 61:1. Autumn—Nith, 47:1 ; 
Dee, 49°8. Winter—Nith, 38:9; Dee, 40-2. 
In some places on Dee mussels are very abundant. Mr 
Bridger informs me that on the moors above New-Galloway 
station, at a place called Barns Water, he took them out by the 
pailful, but, strange to say, with few pearls, although below this 
on Slogarie and Banks of Dee pearls are abundant, and four years 
since on Doon, below Dalmellington, they were taken out in loads. 
Indeed, I was assured that the slaughter was so great that com- 
