of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 
41 
The Falls of the Kirkaig (60 feet high), and those on the rivers and 
lochs above it, are the chief obstacles to the ascent of salmon. ' The 
' expense of opening up these has always been considered too large for the 
* benefit it would produce.' 
There are no pollutions in any of the rivers under Mr M'lver's superin- 
tendence, and the salmon disease is scarcely known. There are two 
small Hatcheries for Salmon — one in Assynt, near Inchnadamph, the 
other in Eddrachillis, near Loch Badcall — in which, for many years 
past, ova have been deposited from the Laxford and Inver, and the 
fry distributed over the several rivers. About 20,000 are bred in each. 
In addition, in 1890, a quantity of fry, bred at Brora, was placed in the 
Inver river. 
With regard to the proportion of males to females, it is stated : — 
In taking fish for spawning purposes males always exceeded females — say 
from 3 to 6 males for every female — which I have myself witnessed. 
In answer to the general question, Mr M'lver writes as follows : — 
The only suggestion that occurs to me, with regard to this coast and the 
various rivers, is the subject of bag-nets and their effect on the rivers. The 
angling is certainly not so productive as it was. Anglers invariably attribute 
this to the quantity caught in the bag-nets. This may be partially correct ; 
but when there is water in the rivers to enable the salmon to ascend, anglers 
have fair sport, and in some seasons, from natural causes, the numbers of fish 
are much smaller than in other seasons. The extension of the close time 
might meet this complaint on the part of anglers. There must be some 
means adopted to reduce the natural yearly increase of fish. A large number 
escape the bag-nets placed now outside the estuaries, and, in some cases, miles 
away from the mouths of the rivers; for, when there is not sufficient water in 
the rivers to allow them to ascend the rivers, they are seen in numbers jump- 
ing in the sea at their mouths. But the rivers are short, and fall rapidly, and it 
is often the case that they are unable to get up for want of sufficient water. 
The netting or setting of bag-nets might cease earlier than 26th August, and 
might properly and beneficially be given up on 1st August, to allow fish to 
ascend the rivers after that date. 
ABSTRACT. 
Return by Messrs Speedie, of the Salmon Bag-net Fishings^ at the following Stations 
in the Scourie Management, for the Season 1890. 
Salmon. 
Grilse. 
Trout. 
STATIONS. 
No. 
Lbs. 
No. 
Lbs. 
No. 
Lbs. 
Clachtoll, 
716 
7,666 
1984 
11,746 
112 
222 
Raffin, 
143 
1,724 
636 
3,861 
52 
113 
Culkein, ..... 
234 
2,782 
1426 
8,408 
96 
195 
Oldney, ..... 
183 
2,221 
1147 
6,906 
76 
160 
Scourie, 
106 
1,337 
785 
4,653 
97 
217 
Fanagniorc, .... 
61 
846 
489 
3,048 
39 
95 
Oklshoiemore, .... 
234 
2,811 
1564 
9,165 
59 
136 
1677 
19,387 
8031 
47,787 
531 
1138 
Weight of Fish omitted by Rlan- 
ager from July Return, . 
516 
382 
Total Catch for 1890, . 
1677 
19,903 
8031 
48,169 
531 
1138 
Total Cateli for 1889, . 
1471 
17,991 
6917 
36,105 
340 
680 
Increase, . 
206 
1,912 
1114 
12,064 
191 
458 
Total increase in ll)s. this year, . . . 14,434 lbs. 
