10 THE SALMON RIVERS OP SCOTLAND 



have been no very good takes to the rod, and three fish is now 

 considered excellent, although in 1889-1891 six a day were common. 



Late in the season the fish push their way right up into the 

 stream faUing into the head of Loch Coulside, where they spawoi m 

 good numbers, but as the parr or the smolts hatched there have to 

 run the gauntlet of four lochs, each holding hungry brown trout, it 

 is only to be expected that their numbers wll be considerably reduced 

 by the time they reach the sea, though perhaps not more so than if 

 they had to descend twenty miles of a river equaUy well stocked 

 with their natural destroyers. 



Some years ago, from the middle of April, a few salmon used to be 

 got in Loch Laoghoal by trohmg, and at that time there were also 

 plenty of ferox in this loch, which now appear to have died out, as 

 in recent years hardly one has been caught. All these four lochs in 

 connection with the Borgie are open to the public staying at Altna- 

 harra or Tongue Hotels, and are very hard fished, while but little 

 is done in the matter of restocking, and the incessant taking out and 

 putting nothing in must sooner or later tell a tale of deterioration. 

 It should, however, be mentioned that in all the inns on the Suther- 

 land property there is hung up in a prominent place a request that 

 anglers shall return to the water all trout under 8 in., a matter which 

 on the whole is fairly well observed. 



The Fishery Board Report of 1889 states that in the " Tongue 

 District " (there is no such " District " named on their " Map of 

 Districts " of 1894), which I take it includes the Hope, Kinloch, 

 Borgie, Naver, and perhaps Halladale, the take of salmon has steadily 

 decreased for the last three years. 



The jdeld for 1888 of these five rivers and their coasts having 

 been 1817 salmon, weighing 21,161 lb., or nearly a 12 lb. average, 

 and 9977 grilse of 52,409 lb., or over 5 lb. average, and next follows 

 a mention of a beggarly 199 sea trout of 330 lb. As against this 

 11,794 fish, the Report then states that the rods of these six rivers 

 kUled 300 fish as their share. Surely a most disproportionate 

 allowance ! But there it is in black and white, and the accuracy of 

 Fishery Board Reports cannot be doubted. In the above return 

 the enormous difference in the take of salmon and grilse cannot fail 

 to be noticed. Five and a half babies are killed to everj' adult ! 

 Surely that cannot be the right way to bring about an increase of any 

 population ? 



The 1889 Report further states that " The Bye-Laws wth regard 

 to the observance of the weekly and annual close time are not very 

 strictly observed by the bag-nets." I can only say from personal 

 observation that this remark is not half strong enough, for there are 

 certainly several hundreds of bag-nets that throughout the whole 

 season entirely disregard the law as to the weekly close time. 



Mr. John Box, the Duke of Sutherland's 'factor at Tongue, 

 who is fully qualified by long experience to speak with authority, 

 has for many 3'ears advocated that netting in this district should 

 cease on the 15th of August instead of on the 26th, by which means 



