of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
27 
1 Boards of Conservators to mako bye-laws for the better protection, pre- 
1 servation, and improvement of the Salmon Fisheries within their 
' district. This power, so long agitated for by the various Fishery Boards 
' who have for some time past discovered that the varying circumstances 
1 of each river require special legislation to meet them, is certainly the 
' most valuable provision of the Act of 1873, and one from which great 
1 good to the Fisheries of England and Wales may reasonably be antici- 
« pated.' 
Another great improvement, in the event of farther legislation for the Powers to 
Solway, would be to empower the authorities, either in England or prosecute. 
Scotland, to prosecute persons fishing for salmon without a right to do so 
in the low-water channel of the Firth, and to give authority to the Sheriffs 
or Justices, in any of the counties bordering on the Sol way, to issue 
warrants to cite offenders resident in another of these counties. Owing 
to the want of such a power at present, it is in many cases almost im- 
possible to prosecute and convict offenders. 
A third great improvement would be to enact that it shall be lawful Increased 
for any constable or police officer, or river watcher, in any borough or powers of 
place in Scotland, in any highway, street, or public place, to search any gahnon° r 
persons whom he may have good cause to suspect of having or carrying illegally 
salmon unlawfully obtained, and any cart or conveyance, with power to obtained, 
seize and detain any fish so found, and thereafter to cite such person to 
appear before the Sheriff or Justices. In short, the same clause with 
regard to salmon should be introduced as the second clause with regard 
to game in the Prevention of Poaching Act of 7th August 1862, which 
has done more to prevent game-poaching than all the previous Acts put 
together. 
In the event of these improvements being carried out, a new clause, 
prohibiting unqualified persons from fishing in private waters, should be 
substituted for the 9th section of the Solway Act. 
When I first visited the Solway, there was a very objectionable dam on Fish-pass on 
the Water of Milk, one of the chief tributaries of the Annan, which D f a ™.™ lWater 
entirely prevented the ascent of the migratory Salmonidse to many miles 0 1 ' 
of excellent spawning ground. I am happy to be able to report that, in 
the course of last year, a dam with a ladder easily passable by salmon 
has taken the place of the old impassable obstruction. I visited the new 
dam on the 30th of July last, while it was still in the course of construction, 
although nearly completed. I found that an apron had been put to the 
dam, and a pool which used to be a favourite resort of poachers had been 
removed. Then a ladder has been constructed on the left bank of the 
stream with wooden sides and stops. It has a gradient of 1 in 8, a 
breadth at the top of 6 feet, and at the bottom of 8 feet. The stops come 
about, two-thirds of the way across the ladder, and in the middle there 
was, when I saw it, too much white water. I suggested that the sides of 
the ladder should be heightened about 6 inches, as by doing so a channel 
would be- formed along the side of the ladder farthest from the left bank, 
up which fish would go as easily as by the ladder itself, when the water 
was in such a state as to induce them to run. I also suggested the 
removal of some smooth planks at the foot of the ladder, and the replacing 
them by stones, and the deepening of the pool at the foot. There are 5 
or 6 miles of good spawning-ground above this dam. The Milk is more 
a spawning than an angling river. The fish run chiefly in September and 
October. 
A very important case, arising in the Annan District, with regard to Case of 
the observance of the weekly close time by owners or occupiers of fixed Irvings v. 
nets was decided by the Justiciary Appeal Court in December last, Phyn * 
S. F. d 
