62 THE HABITS OF THE SALMON. 



arduous duties, to find time to acquire that inti- 

 mate knowledge of the requirements of all rivers — 

 a knowledge necessary to enable it to form a 

 correct opinion on the merits of recommendations 

 of any particular Board of Conservators regarding 

 close time. Its decisions are doubtless influenced 

 to a great extent by the reports of the Fishery In- 

 spectors. Still, the fact remains that the Board 

 has power to ignore any and every proposal, 

 however desirable it might be that the recom- 

 mendations of the Conservators should be carried 

 out ; and for this very reason there is also the 

 risk that a recommendation from the same source, 

 wholly opposed to the real interests of their river, 

 may find favour in the eyes of the Board, and carry 

 disastrous results. Members of Boards of Conser- 

 vators are somewhat in the same position as litigants 

 whose differences have to be settled in a court of 

 law. I hope it may not be considered presumption 

 to suggest that if the Board of Trade do not succeed 

 in obtaining the services of those who have constantly 



