of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 



105 



captured, last century, in Loch Ken with rod and fly by George 

 Murray, gamekeeper to Viscount Kenmure. It weighed 72 lbs. 

 and the head may still be seen in Kenmure Castle. 



Yairs. 



Yairs are fixed engines for catching salmon peculiar to the Dee. 

 They belong to the Earl of Selkirk and the town of Kirkcudbright. 

 It will be seen, on referring to the State of the Special Com- 

 missioners (Appendix No. I.) that Lord Selkirk is entitled to use 

 four of these yairs, and the town of Kirkcudbright three, the 

 Solway Commissioners having granted certificates of privilege 

 for that number, and having, at the same time, ordered two yairs 

 belonging to Lord Selkirk and one yair belonging to the town of 

 Kirkcudbright to be abated or removed. These yairs are wicker- 

 work erections, shaped like the letter V. A man sits at the point 

 of the V with a net of a peculiar construction, and whenever a fish 

 strikes the net is hauled up. The opening at the point of the V 

 is about twenty feet wide. One set of yairs is used to fish with 

 the ebb and another with the flood tide. Of course, these 

 instruments are quite contrary to the general rule which every- 

 where prevails in Scotland, except in the ' water of Solway/ namely, 

 that fixed engines for the capture of salmon within a river or estuary 

 are illegal. 



The Doachs at Tongueland. 



The Doachs at Tongueland, and the Shoulder-net used for scoop- 

 ing out salmon from the deep pools below them, are another pecu- 

 liarity of the river Dee. These Doachs are situated on the river, 

 about three miles above the town of Kirkcudbright, and are 

 loudly complained of by the upper proprietors as capturing or in- 

 tercepting the great majority of the fish that have escaped the sweep- 

 nets and the yairs in the lower part of the river, and are on their way 

 to the upper waters. The owner of the Doachs, however, entirely 

 denies that there is any foundation for this complaint. The Doachs 

 are the property of Mr Murray Stewart of Broughton, who claims to 

 hold them by ancient and special titles, and to be exempt from the 

 operation of the bye-law regulating the construction and use of 

 cruives and of mill-dams. These Doachs are partly natural and 

 partly artificial, consisting of a formidable barrier of rocks which 

 here stretches nearly across the bed of the river ; which has been 

 rendered more complete by artificial means; which now forms 

 practically a cruive dyke, giving the owner or occupier the means 

 of capturing and intercepting the great majority of passing fish ; 

 and which likewise acts as a dam to supply water to Tongueland 

 Mills. There are three natural openings in these rocks, termed 

 the ' Little Doach,' the * Priory Doach,' and the ' Big Doach.' The 

 1 Big Doach ' is the passage which is used as a trap, and in it is 

 fixed an ordinary cruive-box. The ' Priory Doach ' is not used as a 

 trap, and the ' Little Doach ' has been left open for many years, 

 except in so far as it has been deemed necessary to close and fish 

 it for the purpose of maintaining all the owner's rights therein ; 



