THE SALMON. 7 145 



last twenty years the quantity taken has decreased very considerably, 

 partly owing to the number of machines on the different waters, and 

 partly to the practice of fishing too late in the season, which was pursued 

 for some years. It is pleasing, however, to state that they are now gradually 

 improving. During two days I passed at the Cranagh in 182.'}, the value 

 of the fish taken exceeded £400. On the 5th of July, 1824, 400 salmon 

 were taken at one 'haul' of the nets, and at the next above 350. The 

 entire Aveight taken that day amounted to two tons ; this quantity, at the 

 average English price of Is. per lb., would amount to £242." 



Salmon. Atigust IQth, 1851. — The gamekeeper in Tolljinore Park 

 assures me that he has taken some here up to the weight of twenty-seven 

 pounds. This year he took a few up to sixteen pounds. I was told they 

 are taken of the latter weight in the inner bay of Dundrum. 



The Rev. G. M. Black knew of a salmon, three pounds weight, being 

 taken in the sea of Annalong, the bait being a piece of mackerel. The 

 fishermen told him they had known an instance of this before. 



A salmon of the weight of twenty-three pounds and three-quarters is 

 the largest that a fisherman of old standing has known to be taken in 

 Dundrum Bay : the run is too small and shallow for large fish. 



The following notes have reference to the river Lagan, near Belfast, 

 described in a letter written in the year 1635, as " a pleasant river which 

 abounds with salmon." * 



" Mr. Sinclaiie states that the river Lagan was once a capital salmon river, 

 not only supplying the town of Belfast and neighbourhood, but that quantities 

 were exported. His father used to ship them from it to the Continent, the 

 Mediterranean ports, &c. This fishery was destroyed by the formation of the 

 canal — being excellent until that period. There were three fishing stations 

 between Stranmillis and the Long Bridge of Belfast. I have heard a relative 

 say, that previous to the formation of this canal, salmon were so abundant and 

 cheap about Lismoyne, that his uncle's or grandfather's servants stipulated that 

 they should not be obliged to eat it more than a certain number of days in the 

 week." 



On \2th Sept., 1844, I saw a salmon, about 18 inches in length, which 

 was taken with mullet in Belfast Bay; and Mr. B. Meenan told me that 

 he had before got similar fish taken here along with mullet. 



Bushmills, July \otli, 1842. — This, so far, has been a good season, on 

 account of the fine mild Aveather. In stormy, coarse weather very few 

 fish are taken here. I saw sixty-seven captured this morning at the cuts, 

 which, excepting a few taken out, were not fished for the last three days ; 

 none were large, the river being too low for good fish to ascend. They 

 were chiefly about five pounds weight ; the largest did not exceed nine 

 pounds. They were lifted out with large landing nets, occasionally five 

 at a time, and deposited in the boxes to die ; they very soon died with- 

 out any violence being offered. Their chief months of ascending here 

 are June and July ; their spawning time, November. In frost, it is 

 said, not one ascends. The manager, ]\Ir. Skelly, who has held the office 

 for twenty years, and whose office was filled by his father before him, is 

 my informant in all these matters. During the whole year the fish are 

 in season, and in the very highest condition. Mr. Skelly knows them 

 to ascend the river, and has occasionally taken them in the sea, with 

 the spaAvn just ready for exclusion, and, to use his own words, oozing 

 out of them like " linseed oil." The allusion is perhaps to the colour. 



* Dubourdieu's Down. Edit. 1802, p. 309. 



