276 



Appendices to Fourth Annual Report 



Scotland in the slimmer and autumn of 1884, he mentioned the land- 

 locked salmon to me as, in his opinion, ooe of the American food-fishes 

 best suited for introduction into many of our Scotch lakes. In appear- 

 ance and quality it is not unlike the migratory salmon. As regards 

 size, the land-locked variety, not unfrequently, attains a weight of 12 

 lbs., and is occasionally got of even larger dimensions. But, in most 

 of the lakes and streams of the United States, it is much smaller, 

 5 lbs. being about the average weight. In order to enable the Jand-locked 

 salmon to grow and thrive, it is not necessary that the sheet of water in 

 which it is placed should be a large one. An area of a few hundred acres 

 is quite sufficient. Thus, the largest fish ia Grand Lake region are found 

 in ^Yest Musquash Lake which scarcely covers 1000 acres. Depth of 

 water appears to be of greater consequence than extent of surface ; and as 

 a rule, the largest salmon are found in deep lakes. Lake Sebago, for 

 instance, one of the most famous haunts of the land-locked salmon, and 

 where they attain very large dimensions, has a depth of 410 feet; and 

 West Musquash Lake is known to be in some places 150 feet deep ; while 

 Vermont Lake and Grand Lake, two other favourite resorts, are 115 

 and 130 feet deep respectively. Most of the lochs in the Long Island, 

 which are seldom above 3 or 4 fathoms in depth, would, therefore, be too 

 shallow for the land-locked salmon. But the lake in the castle grounds 

 which I inspected is said to be, and looks like a deep loch, and it has a 

 tine shingly bottom. It might, therefore, turn out to be quite a suitable 

 locality for this fine fish, and the experiment might be worth trying. 



As to the black bass, so great a favourite among American anglers, it 

 is more predatory and voracious than the land-locked salmon, and if it 

 were introduced it would speedily clear out all the other fish and keep 

 the loch for himself. The bass takes either artificial fly, minnow, worm, 

 or spoon-bait, and when hooked is one of the gamest of fish. It has 

 lately been introduced into Germany and into this country, and seems 

 likely to thrive ; though it should never be placed in waters where there 

 are salmon and sea-trout or yellow trout of a fine quality. But, where 

 there are only coarse fish, such as pike, or perch, or common trout poor 

 in quality and size, the black bass promises to be a valuable addition to 

 our stock of sporting fishes. It spawns in June and July, It was first 

 brought over to this country by that eminent and enterprising piscicultu- 

 rist, the Marquis of Exeter, who has now some thousands of Black 

 Bass in "\Miitewater Lake near Buiieigh House, where they have already 

 attained a weight of 3 lbs. But when the food and water are suitable, 

 they are said to reach 10 and even 12 lbs. weight. 



The Creed. 



In the course of the day, we crossed the little river Creed which 

 flows through the grounds of Stornoway Castle, and which, with 

 the lochs connected with it, is reserved for the use of the family and 

 guests at the castle. There are upwards of a dozen lochs belonging to 

 the basin of the Creed, the best of which is Loch Creed, in which the 

 salmon angling is superior to that in the river. The river is only 

 moderately fished ; but the keeper said that, if regularly fished, it would 

 yield in a good year 80 salmon and 150 sea-trout. In a favourable day 

 with Loch Creed and the river in good trim, a skilful fisherman should 

 take 4 salmon in the loch or 3 in the river. ^lackenzie informed me 

 that both salmon and trout in the Lews take best near the edges of the 

 lochs ; and that, in Loch Creed, you will take as many salmon fishing 

 from the shore, the wind being favourable, as you will from a boat. 



