40 MAKING A FISHERY. 



good keeper is invariably on friendly terms with 

 these floaters, and hence gets timely intima- 

 tion of any prospective alterations of the water 

 level necessitated by the working of the 

 meadows. An indifferent keeper who neglects 

 these points will during the season lose a 

 ■ considerable number of his fish owing to their 

 being left in the dry ditches when the water is 

 turned out of a meadow. Even if the water is 

 not entirely drawn off, and the trout can find 

 refuge in deeper parts of the carriers, they are 

 not likely to get into condition when thus 

 penned up in places where there is no flow of 

 water, besides, under such conditions, being an 

 easy prey to poachers. 

 Banks, &c. As previously stated in the chapter on 



"Tenure," the keeping in good repair of all 

 banks of the river, or any tributaries, back- 

 waters, ditches, and carriers should invariably 

 be an obligation on the freeholder. This clause 

 is, however, a somewhat elastic one, as what 

 might be considered by the freeholder, and 

 even upheld at law, as a reasonable state of 

 repair for the banks of the stream, may not be 

 deemed sufficient by the fishing tenant, and 

 this is one of the reasons for the necessity of 

 the stipulation in the lease that the lessee 

 should have the right to do any work deemed 

 necessary by him for the improvement of the 



