of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



393 



my printed queries, complain that the Procurator-Fiscal declines to pro- 

 secute offences under the Salmon Fisheries Acts, eveu when his expenses 

 are guaranteed; and one gentleman suggests 'that any one interested, 

 * over and above or other than a proprietor, should have the power to 

 'prosecute for penalties.' But it humbly seems to me that such a power 

 is already conferred both by the Salmon Fishery Act of 18G2 and by 

 that of 1868; and that any one who chooses to run the risk of failure 

 and expense, is entitled to prosecute for the penalties provided for the 

 infringement of the said Acts. The words of the 28th section of the 

 Act of 1860 and of the 30th section of the Act of 1868 are explicit upon 

 this point ; both of them declaring that 



All offences under this Act maybe prosecuted, and all penalties incurred 

 under this Act may be recovered, before any Sheriff, or any two or more Justices 

 of the Peace acting together, and having jurisdiction in the place where the 

 offence was committed, at the instance of the clerk of any District Board, or of 

 any other person. 



Oysters and Mussels in the Shetland Islands. 



Mr Tudor, in his Orkneys and Shetland, published in 1883, writes as 

 follows : — 



The Shetlanders are said to have nearly exhausted the large whelks known as 

 buckies, and to be fast destroying the mussel scalps, as they have already done 

 the oyster-beds, which previously existed in Cliff Sound and other places. 



My recent visit to Shetland enables me to corroborate the truth of this 

 statement, especially as regards oysters. Yet there can be no doubt that 

 oysters were once plentiful and cheap, even within the memory of living 

 man, and might again be so if judiciously cultivated and adequately 

 protected. Mr Anderson of Hillswick, a fish-curer and general merchant 

 in Shetland, whose acquaintance with the fisheries ranges over a long 

 series of years, sends me the following list of localities in Shetland 

 which, he thinks, would be suitable for oyster culture, specifying those in 

 which oysters are still found: — 



1. Bressay Sound, on the east side, near the kirk ; west side, docks to 



Grimesta. 



2. Dales Voe ; oyster spat was sown here by proprietor, Mr Hay. 



3. Laxfirth Voe should be an excellent place, also good trout fishing. 



4. Wadbister Voe. 



5. Catfirth Voe. 



6. Dourye Voe. 



7. Vidlin Voe. 



8. Swining Voe. 



9. Collafirth Voe (Delting). 



10. Dales Voe (do.) 



11. Firths Voe. 



12. Tofts Voe, near Mossbank. 



13. Hamna Voe (Yell). Fine trout taken here. 



14. Burravoe (do.) 



15. Keafirth Voe (do.), or Mid Yell. 



16. Basta Voe (do.). Here oysters are found. 



17. Balta Sound (Unst). 



18. Whalfirth Voe (Yell). 



19. Lady Voe (do.). West Sandwick. 



20. Collafirth Voe, Northmaven. 



21. Quayfirth Voe (do.) 



22. GlussVoe (do.) 



23. Garths Voe (Delting). 



24. Voxter Voe (do.), and all round to Northmaven. 



25. Hubens, near Foula Ness. 



