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Appendices to Second Annual Report 



tion to be able to state that their spawning and angling value is 

 immense — far beyond what I had any previous idea of. The dis- 

 tance, measuring by water, through a continuous chain of rivers 

 and lochs, from the Falls of Tummel to the head of Loch Ba, in the 

 Black Mount, and to Loch na Gannaich, which is within an hour's 

 walk of Kingshouse at the head of Glencoe, is between 50 and 60 

 miles, of which about one-half are lochs, and the remainder rivers with 

 beds of gravelly spawning ground where hundreds of salmon might 

 breed, and with deep pools and rapid streams which would afford first- 

 rate angling were salmon enabled to reach them. Proceeding in 

 another and more northerly direction, it will be found that the dis- 

 tance, by an unbroken series of rivers and lochs, from the Falls of 

 Tummel to the head of Loch Ericht, near Dalwhinnie, is not less 

 than 55 miles, of which 26 are rivers, and the remainder lochs. All 

 the waters within this vast watershed, at present salmanless, would 

 be opened up to salmon by placing an efficient fish-pass on the 

 Falls of Tummel. The area covered by Locli Tummel, Loch Eannoch, 

 Loch Ericht, Loch Laidon or Lydoch, and Loch Ba is 20,000 acres, 

 or 31 square miles, and the length of the Tummel above the Falls 

 of the Ericht, and of the Gaur, without reckoning their tributary 

 streams, is 30 miles. 



I shall now proceed to describe more particularly the rivers 

 and lochs above the Falls of Tummel. For fully two miles 

 above the falls the bed of the river is rocky and unsuitable 

 for spawning purposes, but there are deep pools and streams 

 which would be favourite haunts of salmon if they could reach 

 them. There are a good many pike here ; and in Loch Tummel 

 they are occasionally got 20 lbs. weight and upwards. These, of 

 course, would prove destructive to salmon fry, if salmon were 

 enabled to ascend the falls and spawn above them. But, if salmon 

 were enabled to ascend freely, means might be found to thin out 

 the pike, especially during their spawning season. The five miles 

 of the river nearest Loch Tummel present much good spawning 

 ground, as well as fine angling pools. Then conies Loch Tummel, 

 about 4 miles long, famous for the size and quality of its trout, 

 which, however, are rather shy. Above and beyond the head of the 

 loch, the river for some distance pursues a very winding and 

 circuitous course, and is deep and still, except when a strong 

 breeze strikes it. There are 12 miles of water, following the 

 windings of, the stream, between Lochs Tummel and Bannoch, and 

 it must be remembered that all this is a broad full river, suitable for 

 the largest salmon. Here also there are a multitude of streams and 

 pools, fitted for spawning or angling, though there are about 3 

 miles of the river where the rock mess of the bed affords no ground 

 adapted for spawning. On one part of this stretch of water, near 

 the march between the Duke of Atholl and Mr Tennent of Duna- 

 lastair, there is a considerable fall and rapid ; but it would not be 

 sufficient to stop the upward progress of salmon, if a salmon-pass 

 were placed on the Falls of Tummel, and it might very easily be 

 improved at no great expense. This fall is said to have the effect of 

 preventing the ascent of pike into Loch Bannoch. 



We now reach Loch Bannoch, a spacious sheet of water 10 miles 



