of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



249 



leasing, and on the basis of the actual values which had been previously 

 submitted to me, and at 15 years' purchase fixed by Captain Hope, a sum 

 was stated to the upper proprietors. I am unaware whether or not the 

 upper proprietors considered the possible deduction of the values of their 

 own nettings which were to be given up, but I have now been informed 

 that the sum mentioned is considered as prohibitive. Negotiations have 

 therefore come to an end, a result which I am sure all concerned greatly 

 regret. 



Reports from District Fishery Boards. 



I have received reports from 34 District Fishery Boards as to the state 

 of the salmon fisheries under their jurisdiction. Reports have not been 

 received from the Deveron, Findhorn, Skye, and Nith. It is singular 

 how often the blanks refer to the same districts. I have given in the 

 Appendix as short a statement as possible respecting the various districts 

 reported upon. 



Salmon Fishery Research. 



For the present, I withhold special reports on the salmon marking. I may 

 mention, however, that 20 recaptures have been made since my last (the 

 8th) report on the subject. Of these, nine are from the river Add, five 

 being recaptured by myself in one day, when " marking " in that river in 

 February. The scale examinations from Add fish promise also to yield 

 most interesting results. We find that practically 50 per cent, of the fish 

 examined have previously spawned. Also, of 36 scales taken during the 

 marking operations above referred to, no fewer than five showed two 

 spawning marks, and were again kelts. In salmon scale research this is a 

 unique result, but I have learned that in one or two other localities, 

 including the Wye in England, recent scale examination has revealed a 

 larger percentage of previously-spawned fish than has previously been 

 found. I have asked Mr. Menzies to prepare a short paper on the 

 subject, which I hope to present shortly. Fortunately, when marking 

 a.nd taking scales a year ago, I retained scales of each of the five fish 

 recently recaptured. 



W. L. Calderwood. 



