I48 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN * VOL. XII, 



Fixed engines. — The round hard shell of the poison berry used 

 lay abcut in quantities. Having destroyed this dam and one or 

 two smaller ones lower down I came across the first series of fixed 

 engines. 



Construction of cradle trap. — It is constructed in the shape of a 

 large cradle with the end opposite to the hood knocked out. This 

 end with raised sides is firmly set level with the bed of the river 

 and the hood end is supported on stout stakes some two or three 

 feet above the water level. These are generally built where islands 

 occur, and as a rule one side of the cradle is made fast to the 

 island while the other has a hurdle running to the opposite bank 

 to prevent fish passing. The people sometimes build two or 

 three cradles in a line but generally two, one on each side of an 

 island. 



Where the river has a narrow pass between two islands the 

 cradle would occupy the entire space. Any open water would be 

 guarded with hurdles. 



Effectiveness of cradle trap- — These cradle traps if kept in good 

 order are effective while the river has a good supply of water, but 

 when low a lot of them would become practically useless. It is 

 clearly seen they are intended to catch the fish descending, 

 after spawning operations and 1 should say large quantities are 

 destroyed this way. 



Mode of operation. — The water passes into the cradle with a 

 great rush, but before it reaches the hood end disappears entirely 

 through the interlaced branches forming the bottom, leaving the 

 fish high and dry in the hood. 



Destruction of traps. — I destroyed a large number of these 

 obstructions on my passage through the " Ditch." 



Rebuilding time.— It is almost certain these traps will be con- 

 structed about August or September after the fish have run up. 



Area where alone poaching is practised. — These cradle traps seem 

 to be confined to the higher waters of this section as when the 

 sides of the "Ditch" open out and tributaries increase the volume 

 of water other methods are adopted but always in close proximity 

 to a village or hamlet. In cases where new camps are formed by 

 the people the trap building and poaching always occur. One of 

 the main tracks crossing the Ditch to Mysore in the upper part 

 of this section (about six miles from below Masinigudi) is a centre 

 of poaching and from here down to Tallakuli several camping 



