but it must not be supposed that there were not other points in it requiring attention, for it was possible before the Bill was laid on the table of the House of Commons it would be found necessary to make some alterations in it. He would be glad to receive the opinions of those present on the points he had already mentioned as to whether they were expedient or not. He would, however, just make a remark on the question of trout. Now it was thought in many places that the same protection given to salmon should be given to trout. If they prevented men going a-trout-fishing in the salmon close season, they would do away with the excuse that they were going for trout, whereas their intentions were to catch salmon. He thought power should be given to magistrates to inflict hard labour on some of the offenders. Before the Act of 1861 the justices had power to give six months' imprisonment, with hard labour, but when the Bill came into operation it was altered to three months, the result being that poachers formed insurance offices in various parts of the country, and when a man got fined the money came out of the fund. Of course with such a system as that it was impossible to deal unless there was power to inflict hard labour when it was deemed fit. Another thing he thought might be well done. If they found the rate or licence duty insufficient, there ought to be given to the board of conservators—to abide by a majority of three-fourths if they liked-power of raising a rate in aid on the licence system. Those were the whole of the features of the proposed Bill he thought it necessary to mention, and he should like to know whether they thought the measure would serve the purposes for which it was intended. If they required further information on the subject he should be glad to give it.

A long consultation then ensued, in which Messrs. Wallis, Ayrton, the Mayor, Aldermen Roy, Fenton, Humberston, M.P., Colonel Biddulph, Eyton, Bate, Hoggins, and some of the fishermen, bore a part, the constitution of the board of conservators was very fully discussed, and the proposition for the adoption of the fourth clause in the Bill was put and carried. Colonel Biddulph also proposed that a fence time, from Nov. 1 to Feb. 1, should be decreed for trout, which was also adopted. A conversation then ensued in reference to the salmon cage, in which it was sought to be determined which property ought to bear the loss caused by pulling up a fish pass, a point which could not be satisfactorily settled.

Mr. Eden said that Government had determined to act in accordance with the system pursued in Ireland. It would be useless to ask Government to introduce a clause into the Bill to meet special cases.

Mr. Eyton said as to the recovery of penalties to be imposed by magistrates according to the Act of 1861 there was no power of appeal. He would propose that a clause be introduced into the proposed Act that any person who should have been fined and felt himself aggrieved should have the power to appeal to the Court of Quarter Sessions of the county where the conviction took place.

Mr. Bate seconded it.-Carried.

On the motion of Mr. Ayrton the Amendment Act was adopted. Mr. Ayrton said there were one or two exceptions to the Bill, but on the whole it was a very good and useful one. Time would not allow them to discuss the various clauses seriatim, but written suggestions respecting some of them could be sent to Mr. Eden.

Mr. Eden said he should be happy to receive from the Secretary of the River Dee Fishery Association and from any of the fishermen any remarks on the Bill.

The proceedings were then brought to a close by the usual compliment being accorded to the Mayor for presiding.-Abridged from Chester Chronicle.

WYE PRESERVATION SOCIETY.

The annual meeting of this society was held at the Swan Hotel, Hay, on November 24. Sir Velters Cornewall, Bart., occupied the chair, and there were also present-W. J. Ffennell, Esq., Inspector of Fisheries, Major Clifton, Tomkyns Dew, Esq., Rev. W. Jones Thomas, Mr. Knott, J. Gwynne James, Esq., Messrs. Miller, lessees of fisheries under the Duke of Beaufort, and Evan Owen, Secretary. The minutes of the last meeting having been read and confirmed, the following report was read by the Secretary :

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"The Committee beg to state that during the past year eighteen convictions have been obtained for illegal fishing.

"That during the last close season the numerous breeding grounds of the parent river and its tributaries were well protected, and much good has thereby been done, it is evident from the great increase in the river of the young of salmon that the past two years' care has proved most beneficial; and the Committee trust that those interested will still continue their endeavours to cultivate and improve the river.

"Unfortunately the past open season has again proved an unsuccessful one in the freshwater district, both to anglers and net fishers, for the want of water caused by the drought of the season.

"It is a source of congratulation to the society to find that it is the intention of Government to introduce in the next session of Parliament a Bill to amend the Salmon Fisheries Act, 1861, and which, it is hoped, with some modifications, will pass into law, as its provision will prove very beneficial to all salmon rivers.'

It was resolved, "That the report, together with the accounts of the society for the past year, be printed and circulated amongst the subscribers."

The list of subscriptions showed a total for the year of 4671. 7s., as against 4741. 9s. the previous year, but a few subscriptions still remained unpaid.

Mr. Ffennell said he should feel obliged to any gentleman who would forward to him details of their fishing, which he could incorporate in his report.

The Rev. W. J. Thomas would like one thing to be decided-that they should not go beyond their means. It appeared that they were now about 201. behind.

The Secretary said that they were in a much more healthy condition than last year. When all accounts were paid they would be about even.

The Rev. W. J. Thomas asked if they had the probable income and expenditure of the ensuing year before them, so as to see clearly how they stood.

The Chairman said they had the income, but all he could say about the expenditure was that it would probably exceed the receipts; the fact was that they had not nearly funds enough to properly protect the fishing, and therefore all they could do was to spend all they had.

Mr. Ffennell said that the only_principle with regard to salmon fisheries which had been recognized by the Legislature was this: that no man had a right to take more than the certain toll for the fish in the river as they passed his ground; this was the principle recognized in the oldest legislation on the subject, and which they were constantly striving to carry out in its integrity.

Major Clifton inquired if Messrs. Miller did not take all the salmon they pessibly could at the lower part of the river.

Mr. Miller said they did not: they had this year employed twelve nets less than the year before, and they might easily have taken more fish than they had. It was the extreme drought which had prevented the fish ascending the river. Gentlemen complained of their catching the fish when they should complain of the weather; they could not expect fish to walk up the road to them. (Laughter).

Mr. Ffennell said that having been the means of bringing Mr. Miller to the Wye, he felt responsible for his good judgment; while on the other hand, he considered Mr. Miller responsible to him, and he should look pretty sharply after him. (Laughter).

The Rev. W. J. Thomas said he had known a little river of about 20 miles in length which fed the Wye, and every farmer on its banks kept his salmon-spear, and by this means great destruction was done.

Mr. Miller said he thought a change was taking place in this respect.

Mr. Ffennell said his experience of this kind of thing during many years had been, that where there was a regular established habit of poaching, it took a long time to break it up; but if they constantly kept at it, annoying and prosecuting the offender on every occasion when they could get up a case, they soon got weary of it, and when the habit was once broken, it was not so difficult to keep it under. After a few more remarks on the same subject, Mr. Ffennell said he wished to draw the attention of the Society to the new Act brought in by Mr. Baring and Sir George Grey at the close of the last session of Parliament, in order to amend and complete the Salmon Fisheries Act of 1861. He said that Government had undertaken to support the Bill, and there was not much doubt but that it would become law. He would have some copies sent down to the Secretary and to Mr. Miller, and he hoped the Chairman and all the members would bestow their attention upon it, in order that any needful alterations and additions might be well considered and forwarded to the Home-office under the authority of the Society. Mr. Ffennell, at considerable length, explained the nature of the Bill, the principal clause of which enacts that all persons fishing for salmon with a rod and line within the limits of any district in which the Act shall be in operation shall be required to pay 17. for a licence. It was intended that the licence fees should go to pay the expenses of preservation in the district in which the licence was granted, and a considerable discussion ensued as to whether a person should be required to take out a fresh licence for each separate district in which he might have an opportunity of fishing, or whether the 17. licence should make him free of the whole, in which case only the one district which he first visited, and where he procured his licence, would be benefited.

Mr. Ffennell said the Act made the licence available throughout the whole of the districts where the Act had force, but he should recommend the various local societies to make a rule requiring a donation towards their funds before a stranger was allowed to fish in the water under their control or that of any of their members. He was also in favour of a rate being made upon the owners of the water, according to their frontage, the Committee of Conservators appointing persons to value the different portions of the river; any person who did not wish to be rated being able to give notice to that effect, but being thereby prevented from fishing the water until he signified his willingness to be rated.

Some conversation ensued upon this topic, and the gentlemen present expressed their intention of going carefully through the new Act and considering its provisions. Mention being made of the fact of "heavy" fish being frequently taken in the month of October, Mr. Ffennell said he was decidedly of opinion that the season should not be closed earlier than at present, at any rate of the upper part of the river until the latter end of the season; and it would be very hard upon those gentlemen who had water there, to stop their fishing at the only time when they had any chance of sport. Any gentleman of proper feeling, if he took a "heavy" female fish would return it to the water, and if a few such were taken each year, he must still consider it a judicious compromise to retain the good will of the upper proprietors.-Abridged from Hereford Times.

KILLARNEY FISHERY DISTRICT.

The first meeting of the Conservators under the new Act was held in Killorglin, pursuant to advertisement, on Monday the 24th instant. The following members were in attendance:

Ex-officios-Sir W. Godfrey, Messrs. Maurice James O'Connell, Edward Rae, Daniel Mahony, and J. Butler. Elected-Messrs. Henry Herbert, J.P., Caher

nane; W. Spring, Thomas Blennerhassett, Francis D. Rae, Henry W. Dodd, Thomas Power, Michael Foley.

Mr. Dodd-The first thing we have to do is to elect our future chairman. I move that Mr. Edward Rae, who since the decease of Mr. D. Moleyns, has filled the chair, and at all times takes, and has taken, so much pains to forward our interests, and to protect the fisheries of the district, be re-elected as our chair

man.

Mr. O'Connell-I can bear testimony to Mr. Rae's efficiency, and I feel much pleasure in seconding the motion.

Mr. Rae took the chair, and said he felt very proud of the compliment paid him by the Board. He had taken a great interest in the fisheries of the district, because he felt convinced that, if properly protected, they would turn out a mine of wealth to the owners, as well as a considerable source of attraction to tourists and strangers visiting the country. The first business they would have to do was to elect a secretary and inspector. They would, of course, continue in office the gentleman who had so efficiently and creditably discharged those duties since the original formation of the Board.

Mr. James Barry was then unanimously elected to that office.

Chairman-We have now to appropriate to the several lakes and rivers in the district the portion of the funds available for the ensuing year they were each entitled to for their protection. The Chairman then went on to read the Treasurer's account (the National Bank, Killarney); and after a long discussion in which each gentleman forcibly urged the claims of his own particular locality, and none more earnestly than did Mr. Butler those of Iveragh, the Board came to a conclusion satisfactory to all parties.

It was then resolved that the Killarney gentlemen should meet there and distribute the portion of the funds allotted to them.

Mr. Butler and Mr. O'Connell appointed bailiffs for Iveragh on the spot; and the meeting was adjourned until Friday for the purpose of appointing bailiffs for the Laune, the Caragh, the Maine, and their several lakes and tributaries.

Several resolutions were passed, calling on the Commissioners to exercise their powers in making bye-laws to effect, what appeared to the Board to be necessary, in order to put down various descriptions of poaching, and evasions of the present rules, now practised in this and several other parts of Ireland, and to some of which their attention was called by other Boards.

No conservators were returned for the Iveragh division of the district, no meetings having been held in Caherciveen for the purpose. However, the exofficios at this meeting took care of the interests of the locality-a strong argument in favour of the new law appointing ex-officio conservators.-Kerry Evening Post, Oct. 26.

AN OLD WHALE.

"As the Alexander,' belonging to this place, was steaming about in Davis's Straits, on September 24, a large whale of about 12 tons, was observed not far distant from her. Boats were immediately put out, and the crews succeeded in securing the animal. When the crew came to flense the fish they were astonished to find imbedded in its body, 2 or 3 inches beneath the skin, a large piece of a harpoon, about 18 inches long. On one side of it were engraved the words, Traveller, Peterhead,' and on the other, '1838.' This vessel was lost about 8 years ago in the Cumberland Straits when prosecuting the whale fishery there, and it is therefore clear that the harpoon must have remained in the animal for that time at least."-Dundee Courier.

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF FOUL FISH IN THE TEVIOT.

"Never within the memory of the oldest inhabitant have so many fish been killed in the Teviot as during the present season. On Monday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., no fewer than 200 fish were captured between Weensland Cauld and Wilton Lodge. Boys and men of hoary heads were to be seen with leisters, pitchforks, graips, cleeks, Dutch hoes-in fact, any kind of weapon that came to hand; even large stones were used in some cases. An old disciple of Izaak Walton said, 'It bets a' ever aw saw in ma life; the fish are as thick as 'baggies;'' and so they were. No attempt seemed to be made by the police or watchers to interfere with the 'sport,' which was carried on in open day. At night as many as sixteen lights have been seen all blazing at once within a stretch of two miles of the Borthwick and Teviot. It is quite clear that, should this wholesale destruction be allowed to go on unchecked, few indeed of the fish will again taste salt water. Boys, girls, and thrifty housewives, carrying marketbaskets, form the 'costermongers' of Hawick fish-market. Prices are now as low as 3d. per lb.; in some cases 2d. is thankfully accepted.”—Southern Reporter.

SHEFFIELD AND HALLAMSHIRE ANGLING ASSOCIATION.

"On Monday last the members of this society held their third annual dinner at Mr. I. Nodder's, Corporation Arms,' West Bar Green, Sheffield, when fifty of its members sat down to partake of the tempting baits placed before them, which, to use an angling phrase, were not nibbled at, but taken pretty freely, as the fish had done during the year, as some of the members have taken heavy bags. After the cloth was drawn the usual loyal and other toasts were drunk, and prizes in money, amounting to nearly 57., were awarded out of the funds of the society, to the following members, for their splendid catches during the year:-Mr. G. Tunnicliffe, J. Rackstrawe, H. Tavler, T. Hoole, W. Slinn, C. Jones, J. Merrill, S. Mortimor, J. Brookes, J. Fox, T. Youle, W. Redfern; the best dish of chub being captured by the worthy host in the River Trent, October 24 and 25, with scratching, 42 fish weighing 53 lbs. 9 oz. All the above members' prizes were taken by dishes of fish caught in the Trent.-T. WALKER, Secretary, Sheffield and Hallamshire Angling Association, held at Mr. Isaac Nodder's, Sheffield."

CURIOUS FISH.

"On Monday last Mr. Fletcher, rope and sail maker, kindly brought to our office a specimen of a 'queer fish,' which had been thrown in among the rocks at the back of the south quay during the storm. It proved to be a large and fine specimen of the lesser forkbeard or tadpole fish (raniceps trifurcatus), a species long believed to be one of the rarest of British fishes, but found to be more common than was formerly suspected since closer attention has been directed to the inhabitants of our seas. Couch, in his 'History of British Fishes,' mentions that several have been taken in a season on the coast of Cornwall, but we are not aware whether the fish has been observed so far north as the coast of Caithness, although it is classed by Nillsson among those of Scandinavia. It may be readily distinguished by its large head, thin body, the dorsal and anal fins being continuous along the back and belly, pectoral fins rounded, and ventrals having two of the rays elongated like bristles. It is a deep-water fish, and frequents a rocky bottom. Its food seems to be partly shell-fish, as besides the usual supply of teeth in the jaws, it has two plates of teeth on the roof of the mouth, and two similar plates above and two below at the entrance to the throat, like those of the wrasses."-John o'Groat's Journal.