nsist upon all cruive fisheries being
positively closed from sunset to sunrise? or, what would be still
better, that the cruive or heck should have a free gap in it, of a
specified size, which should be kept constantly open between
sunset and sunrise. As this is one of the most important sections
of the Act, I may be pardoned for calling your particular
attention to it; for unless this section be vigorously enforced,
it will be in vain to legislate on the subject;--for the
proprietors near the sources of rivers (where most of the fish
spawn) will never interest themselves about the preservation of
fish which they are not allowed to see when in season, and which
has hitherto been the case in this neighbourhood at all events;
but if the fish are allowed a free passage everywhere, and at all
times, between sunset and sunrise, the upper proprietors will then
have some inducement to take care of the fish in the spawning
season. Until now, all the good fish have been taken in the
fisheries near the mouth of the river.

There is at present a great trade carried on in this neighbourhood
in Salmon roe, as a bait for Trout and Eels, and scores of
spawning Salmon are now destroyed for little else than the spawn
they contain. Cannot this be prevented?

* * * * *

_May 5th_, 1846.

H. GEORGE, ESQ.

SIR,--I enclose a letter I had addressed to Mr. Pakington on the
subject of the preservation of the breed of Salmon. I had written
to him because I perceived that he had introduced the bill into
the House of Commons, but since that letter was written I have
been favoured with your address through the politeness of Sir
Thomas Winnington, to a friend of mine, and as he requests that
any suggestion about weirs may be addressed to you, I make no
apology for enclosing the letter I had addressed to Mr. Pakington
with some further suggestions, which on looking over my letter I
find I have omitted to notice.

In one of the clauses of the bill (I do not remember which, and I
have not the bill at hand to refer to) you require that a grating,
the bars of which shall not be more than three inches distant from
each other, and which shall be placed at the junction of the tail-
goit with the river, as well as in front of the wheel. This I
presume is to prevent any fish being injured by the wheels, but I
assure you that during the twenty-two years in which I have had
the management of the works here, I never knew an instance of a
Salmon being