490 Report of the Tweed Experimental Committee. 



A Gawin de Mandirston was in 1479 forfeited in life and 

 lands, along with, a number of other Mersemen, for treasonably 

 aiding the Duke of Albany in the defence of Dunbar Castle 

 against James III. (Act. Pari. Scot, ii., p. 125). Carr, in bis Hist, 

 of Coldingham, p. 161, concluded that he was a Gavin Home ; but 

 this is doubtful ; for in a subsequent summons relative to the 

 same series of events, those of the Hume surname are specified 

 in full as well as by the title : e.g. George Hume de Wethir- 

 burne, Patrick Hume de Polwort (p. 128). In 1481, Archibald 

 Mandirstone was commissary for Berwick in Parliament (pp. 

 133, 134). Others of the name occur in that reign (l.c). 



Report of the Experimental Committee of the Tiveed Com- 

 mission, 1878. 



I have the honour to report that the Experimental Committee 

 had four meetings since September, 1877, viz. : — 



At Cove Sands on 11th October, 1877, when 35 Blacktails 

 were caught in the river with a net, marked with a silver wire, 

 upon which a number is stamped, each wire being inserted in 

 the fish's tail so as to give as little pain as possible. The fish 

 were returned alive to the river. 



At Union Bridge on 7th- November, 1877, to catch and mark 

 fish, when 61 Blacktails and 1 Whitling were captured, marked, 

 and returned to the river. 



At Carham Pond on 23rd April, 1878, to examine the fish 

 placed therein in May, 1874. A net was used, and 66 fish were 

 caught in the pond, and, after each had been carefully measured, 

 the whole were returned to the pond without injury. 



The 66 fish measured 964£ inches, or on an average 14| inches 

 each ; the largest fish measured 20^ inches in length. The fish 

 had on an average increased in length f inch each since they 

 were examined on 17th May, 1877. 



The fish were healthy, and, as stated in a previous Eeport, 

 some were killed and sent for examination. 



