270 



Aiipendices to Twenty -ninth Annual JRejwrt 



3. The water bailiffs employed are two in number. During a part of the 



year an additional bailiff is employed in watching the lower reaches of 

 the river. 



4. Particulars as to prosecutions instituted are briefly as follow : — One man 



was convicted and fined for poaching. Another man paid a sum to avoid 

 a prosecution for a similar offence. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Pish— 



1. Dam dykes disused, built, or in prospect : — The dam dyke at Ballochmyle, 



which the Board consider an obstruction, has not yet been remedied. 



2. The bye-laws are generally observed. 



The Salmon Disease— 



1. Disease made its appearance this year in the month of December, and reached 



its height in January. 



2. The number of diseased fish taken from the river and destroyed was as 



follows : — 



The Spawning Season— 



1. Fish were first noticed spawning on 23rd November. 



2. The greatest number spawned in December. 



3. Spawning ceased in middle of January. 



4. As regards numbers of breeding fish, and state of the water, the past 



spawning season is regarded as very good. 



Smolts— 



1. Smelts were noticed to be migrating seawards in end of April. 



2. As a smolt year 1910 was exceptionally good. 



Take of Pish— 



1. As compared with the results of previous years, the take of fish generally 



throughout the district was below the average ; this is accounted for 

 entirely owing to the dry state the of weather during tlie last six weeks 

 of the season. In October the river was at low summer level, and 

 fishing was impracticable. The sea nets for some years past have been 

 entirely removed, with the conseijuence that the stock of fish in the 

 river is increasing each year. 



2. As many of the proprietors do not keep an accurate, or any record 



at all, of the times when, and the actual number of fish caught, it is 

 impossible to give reliable information on the subject. Most of the 

 fish were killed in the end of August and beginning of September. The 

 first fish was killed on 9th March, Avhich is exceptionally early. 



3. Particulars as to the times salmon, grilse, and sea trout appeared are as 



follow : — The first run of spring fish took place on 27th December. One 

 fish which had been killed by an otter was found on 25th February two 

 or three miles up the river. It was covered with sea lice. The first run of 

 sea trout took place during second week in April. No records are kept 

 of the catch of sea trout, but it is reported that during the season the 

 fishing was generally much better than in the previous season. The 

 principal runs of salmon took place in the end of August and during 

 the first week in November. The principal run of grilse took place in 

 the end of July. 



4. The weight of the heaviest salmon taken during the season was 24| lbs. 



The next heaviest weighed 23| lbs. They were both captured within a 

 few miles from the sea. 



Protection— 



1. The assessable rental for 1910 was £508. 



2. The assessment levied was £203 4s. 



Kelts, 



Males. 

 31 



Females. 

 7 



REPORT FROM DOON DISTRICT, 



