THE SALMON FAMILY. 299 



the dog divedj immediately dashed into the stream^ and 

 were taken in the trammel-net at the lower end of the 

 pool." 



Poaching-dogs ' on their own account ' are not very un- 

 common. I have elsewhere alluded to one which regu- 

 larly depopulated the Lagan mUl-stream of its Gudgeon ; 

 and the following instance of a notorious Salmon-poacher 

 is mentioned by Lord Home : — 



"My uncle who took the 70-lb. Salmon had a New- 

 foundland dog which was celebrated for catching these 

 fish. He knew the Monday mornings as well as the 

 fishermen themselves^ and used to go to the cauld or mill- 

 dam at Fireburn Hill on those days. He took his station 

 on the ' cauld slap/ or opening in the dam by which the 

 Salmon passed up, and has been known to kiU from twelve 

 to twenty Salmon in a morning. The fish he carried to 

 the side." 



The best part of the story remains to be told. The then 

 Lord TankervUle instituted a Process against the dog, and 

 the case was brought before the Court of Cession, — the 

 indictment being entitled " The Earl of TankerviUe versus 

 a Dog, the property of the Earl of Home." Judgment was 

 given in favour of the dog. 



This take of " twenty fish in a morning " must certainly 

 have been in the palmy days of the Salmon. By continuing, 

 however, the course of sound legislation lately commenced 

 for their protection and fostering, and especially by the 

 ri°-orous abolition of all stake-nets, cruives, and other fixed 



