of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



5 



Taking averages, the grilse, of course, predominate in every case. 

 In both districts, however, a shrinkage is noticeable in the last period 

 of four years. This is still further marked in the later years of the 

 Dee (1904-1908), the grilse average being only 4,696 and the salmon 

 average 4,141. It is probable the Tweed figures would show a 

 similar shrinkage, but I regret to say I have not been able to secure 

 returns. 



To show the detail, not with regard to total takes, but as regards 

 the number of grilse taken for each single salmon each year, I have 

 prepared the following chart (No. 1). It is noticeable that in 

 districts so widely apart as the Tweed and Dee the excess of grilse 

 and the deficiency of grilse harmonise pretty closely, showing that 

 the cause of the rise and fall, whatever it may be, is operating 

 similarly, and that the deficiency of grilse in the Tweed more often 

 drops below the salmon level than in the case of the Dee. Also 

 that never are there more than 3*8 grilse to one salmon in the Dee 

 (1879), and 3*3 in the case of the Tweed (1899). This is in marked 

 contrast to the conditions in other districts, to which I shall presently 

 refer. 



I may now turn to some very early Tay figures, for which I am 

 indebted to Hon. Morton Stuart Gray of Gray and Kinfauns. The 

 totals are extraordinarily large, and the period covered is from 1830 

 to 1846, or seventeen years. At that period the Tay was netted con- 

 siderably above Dunkeld. The figures I have received represent the 

 produce of 34 netting stations between Dunkeld and the estuary. The 

 maximum number of grilse is 80,539, and the minimum 21,754. The 

 salmon totals do not vary as the grilse totals do, the maximum being 

 35,126 on the year succeeding the maximum grilse figure. The 

 average number of salmon for the period is 25,716, the average 

 number of grilse 44,304. The excess of grilse in any one year never 

 rises above o'O (on the maximum year.) On two occasions the grilse 

 are less numerous than salmon, represented by 0*9 in each year. 

 While the actual totals are far in advance of anything referred to in 

 the Tweed or Dee, it is noticeable that the returns harmonise 

 in the moderate excess of grilse over salmon. I am able, however, 

 to refer to some very early Tweed returns kept by the late Mr. 

 Paulin, and I find that some very great totals are recorded in the 

 early part of last century. In 1816, for instance, the grilse are 

 estimated as 120,596 ; in"l820, 116,495. After that, for a period of 

 21 years the figures are less, but never below 34,000, and in 1842 

 the figure rises to 189,935. Figures such as these are unapproach- 

 able under present-day conditions, and as the eye travels over the 

 figures it is again evident that the greatest decline is in the grilse 

 column, and is shown also in the relation the grilse total bears to 

 that of the salmon total. 



I will now refer to the Beauly, which, as already stated, is 

 distinctively a grilse river, although the totals are never comparable 

 to the early totals of the Tweed or Tay, but rather harmonise with 

 the Dee grilse figures. In evidence before Lord Elgin's Commission, 

 Mr. Garrioch. Lord Lovat's factor, gave figures for two periods, an 

 early period from 1827 to 1838, and a later period from 1875 to 

 1900. Ten, eleven, and twelve thousand grilse in a year are not 

 uncommon in the early period, the average being 8,466, while the 



