729 
of Edinburgh, Session 1877-78. 
as in the male fish of the species. The right side of the head, 
including the eye and nose, was very deeply rubbed and the bones 
injured, but no fungus adhered to the injured part. The pectoral 
fin on the same side had no membrane, the rays being hare, broken, 
and separate from the muscles at their roots. There were several 
patches on both sides of the fish, from which the scales were rubbed 
off, but no fungus adhered to the rubbed parts. In several of those 
rubbed parts, although the skin was unbroken, a portion of the 
muscle, corresponding in breadth to the external injury, and half an 
inch in depth, was in a pulpy condition ; beneath other rubbed spots 
the muscle was quite sound. The dorsal, ventral, caudal, and anal 
fins were all more or less injured by rubbing. No fungus adhered 
to any of the fins except the anal, the rays here being reduced to 
stumps of an inch or half an inch in length, on which a thickly 
matted covering of fungus is seated. The branchiostegal rays are 
very slightly rubbed, and are the only other part of the fish on 
which the fungus remains. In my report to the Fishery Commis- 
sioners in April last, I stated that the fish did not die of the fungus, 
but of the injuries they inflict by rubbing in trying to rid them- 
selves of the pest. As some objection was taken in regard to 
this statement, I quote, in corroboration of my views, from a letter 
published in the Field of 25th May last. The letter was written by 
Commander Duncan Stewart, B.N. He says : — “ In regard to the 
disease from which salmon are suffering in some of our rivers, it may 
be of advantage that I should mention what I observed in a small 
river at the head of Oastrie’s Bay in Siberia. I found the river 
rather low, but with plenty of clear running water. But what 
astonished me was to see thousands of salmon in all stages of disease 
and death, some darting away, but soon stopping to rub the side on 
the bottom or on a rock ; others were constantly rubbing, others 
unable to rub. In those last cases large sores, from the size 
of a shilling to that of a half crown, of a most filthy appearance, 
were always present. Fish in which the scales had been rubbed off 
would try to get out of my way, but I could kill them with a 
stick ; those with the skin gone would rub themselves against 
my trousers.” 
Supposing this salmon from the Nith had been to the sea, and 
had while there got rid of the greater part of the fungus with 
