of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 
39 
want, namely, spring and summer fish. Like begets like. I have a letter 
from Darwin, and also Dr Giinther, British Museum, both saying that, reasoning 
from analogy, it is most unlikely that a salmon would breed young ones with 
a different migratory instinct from itself. So far as our rivers are concerned, 
if this held true, all the autumn fish are useless. They might breed fish that 
would coast along and be caught in the sea, but not fish to enter the rivers in 
spring or summer. We had more fish when we killed the kelts systematically, 
and when the crofters pulled out every dead and dying fish on the opening 
day, 2nd February. Every pool on Spey was dragged from source to mouth, 
nominally looking for clean fish. If the laird had not a net, some tenant had. 
These nets are now extinct. Every kelt was dragged out, and not one re- 
turned. They were split, dried, and smoked. A kelt stays fifty or sixty 
days in the river after spawning. There is then nothing to eat but smolts or 
small fry — no worms or flies in winter. Say he eats a smolt a day, that is 
fifty smolts. Is an old kelt or fifty smolts worth most ? 
The fishing in the Findhora is stated to have diminished, and the cause Answers from 
assigned is over-fishing. There are clean fish in the Fiudhorn in January. B^oard^o? t^he 
April and May are the principal salmon months. The grilse and sea- Elver Find- 
trout begin to run in April, and continue till season closes. horn. 
The heaviest salmon killed by net and coble in 1890 was about 40 lbs. 
Very few fish were killed by the rod. With regard to the bye-laws regu- 
lating the observance of the annual and weekly close times, it is suggested 
that * there might be an alteration, so as to make the fishermen equally 
* responsible with the employers for the infringement of the Fishery 
* Acts.' It is also suggested that the annual close time might be shortened 
* to the 12 th of August, and fishing might commence on Ist February. 
The protection of the river is said to be in a satisfactory state. There 
were no prosecutions, and no illegal fishing, so far as is known. There 
are said to be neither artificial nor natural obstructions in the district ; 
no pollutions save from sheep-washing, and no salmon disease. There 
is no Hatchery, and it is estimated that there are more male than 
female fish. 
I have received much fuller statistics with regard to the catch of fish Sutherland- 
in the salmon rivers of Sutherlandshire than from any other quarter. Mr shire Salmon 
M'Lean, the Duke of Sutherland's factor at Golspie, has favoured me 
with particulars as to the Shin, Fleet, Brora, and Helmsdale. In 1890, the 
take in these districts was practically the same as in 1889. There was 
a slight decrease in salmon, but an increase in igrilse. 
In 18901, 455 salmon, weighing 15,484 lbs., 2288 grilse, weighing 
12,715 lbs., and 400 trout, weighing. 678 lbs., were caught by net and 
coble, and from 700 to 750 fish by rod. But. there is no record of the 
Helmsdale catch after the end of May.. The heaviest salmon taken by net 
and coble was 30 lbs ; the heaviest by rod (taken on the Shin) was 
43 lbs. The first clean fish are taken in February ; the main take of 
salmon is in March, April, and May ; and the run of grilse and sea-trout 
is in June and July. 
The bye-laws under the Salmon Fisheries Acts of 1862 and 1868 are 
said to be strictly observed. There are three watchers constantly em- 
ployed by the proprietor on the Shin, Brora, and Helmsdale, and extra 
ones occasionally. There was one prosecution for night poaching, fol- 
lowed by a conviction, in 1890. The watchers on the rivers in these 
districts have explicit instructions to remove and destroy diseased fish ; 
but scarcely any salmon disease has been refiorted. 
There is a small Hatchery near Loch Brora, belonging to the Duke 
of Sutherland, capable of hatching out from 150,000 to 200,000 ova. 
About 100,000 were hatched out last year and distributed over the 
district. 
