( 5 ) 
REPORT. 
In the beginning of July last, by the direction of the Board, I inspected The Aros, 
the River Aros and its tributary the Ledrnore Burn, which runs out of p JJg^a Osland'^ 
Loch Frisa, the largest shv-et of fresh water in the island of Mull, the of Mull), 
proprietors on the loch being desirous to enable salmon to ascend from 
the sea into the loch. liOch Frisa is 5 miles long, with an average 
breadth of f of a mile, and is little more than 3 miles distant from the 
sea, with only one obstruction of any consequence to prevent the ascent 
of the migratory salmonidse ; and yet, so far as I could learn, salmon 
have never been caught in the loch, and sea trout but rarely. The pro- 
prietors on the banks of Loch Frisa are jiaturally anxious to open up this 
fine expanse of water to salmon and sea trout, but it is obvious that it is 
not their interest to do so, even if the expense to be incurred is but a 
slight one, if the result he that the fishings to be opened up can be 
claimed by the Crown. I am informed that only one ri})arian proprietor 
on the Aros and Loch Frisa possesses a title to salmon fishings ; and if 
this is the case, the other proprietors who have no such title can scarcely 
be expected to incur any expense to enable salmon to reach Loch Frisa, 
unless they can get a title to Salmon Fishing from the Crown. 
I walked from Aros Hotel to Ledmore Farm-house, on the tributary of 
the Aros that runs out of Loch Frisa. The fall that prevents or impedes 
the migratory salmonidse from having a free entrance into Loch Frisa is 
situated just behind the farm-house, a few hundred yards from the foot of 
the loch. Close to the fall there are, on the left bank of the stream, the 
fragments of an old mill-wheel. At present there is no mill in connection 
with the fall. The fall is really not a very serious obstruction, and an 
outlay of about £25 would probably make it quite passable for salmon. 
On the right bank of the Ledmore Burn is the larger and more per- 
pendicular part of the fall, with the principal pool at the foot of it. 
Over the rock, on the left bank, close to the remains of the old mill- 
wheel, runs the lesser portion of the stream, which is rather a rapid than 
a fall. 1 have often seen salmon surmount much more formidable ob- 
structions than this. But still the fact remains that there are no salmon 
in Loch Frisa, and but few sea trout. What is the reason ? There is 
everything to attract the migratory salmonidne in the latter portion of the 
season, and nothing to repel them excei)t this fall. As I have already 
stated, the easiest passage for ascending fish is through the rapid on the 
left bank of the stream, near the old mill-wheel. But the larger body of 
vvater passes over the more perpendicular rock on the right bank. I 
think it would be advisable to stop up this latter branch, and direct the 
water from it into the rapid on the left bank ; also to erect a subsidiary 
S. F. d 
