62 



Appendices to Twenty -second Annual Report 



Kelts— 



1. In the beginning of March. 



2. From the middle to the end of April. 



3. About the beginning of June. 



4. Flood, half -flood, and low. 



Smolts — 



1. March, April, May, and June. 



2. Yes ; fairly good. 



Artificial Propagation of Salmon — 



There is a salmon hatchery in this district at Conon Bridge. It partly 

 belongs to Colonel Mackenzie of Seaforth and partly to the District 

 Board. Owing to the very heavy flood in the Conon during the whole 

 of the spawning season, it was impossible to net the river for spawning 

 salmon, conseuently no ova have been secured. An application has 

 been made to the Tweed for a consignment of ova from that river. 



Proportion of Male to Female Salmon — 



When netting the Conon for spawning salmon the Inspector reports 

 that he always found the males to be more numerous than the females. 



THE DISTRICT OF THE RIVER ALNESS. 

 Take of Fish— 



1. (a) Below the average ; (b) above the average ; (d) generally below the 



average. 



2. The number of fish caught cannot be stated. 



3. (a) The first clean fish taken was in April ; (b) the main take of salmon 



was in July ; (c) grilse and sea-trout ran July and August. 



4. See answer to No. 2. 



5. (a) 25 lbs ; (c) 20 lbs. 



6. No. 



Protection — 



1. Assessable rental for 1903, £617 2s. 7d. 



2. Assessment at 4s. 6d. per £ was levied thereon. 



3. One head water bailiff engaged for the year, with two assistant bailiffs 



during the spring months, and one assistant during the autumn. 



4. No prosecutions in 1903, but two separate consignments of fish (weighing 



together about 250 lbs.) suspected to have been illegally taken were 

 seized by the Board's officers at Invergordon Station en route for the 

 London market in February and March, and sold on behalf of the 

 Board. The fish were consigned in fictitious names. 



Obstructions to the Passage of Fish — 



1. No dams destroyed or disused, nor any new dams built, nor old dams 



altered. 



2. In the Alness Biver, yes. In the Balnagown stream only when in flood. 

 5 and 6. No. 



Pollutions — 



1. No. 



2. No. There is very little pollution in the Alness District. 



The Salmon Disease— 

 1. No. 



2 and 3. Superseded by answer 1. 



