150 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII, 



I was informed that at one time these reaches were well stocked 

 with big fish but now through the use of dynamite and by other 

 means are much depleted. 



From here down to Pirkkadavu and on to Badapally where 

 the Moyar enters the Bhavani, the river is constantly netted. The 

 people complained to me of the poor catches now, compared with 

 former times. As the size of fish captured decreases they resort 

 to smaller mesh nets. Taking the whole of this section of the 

 Moyar 1 consider the poaching in the upper waters responsible 

 to a large degree for the depletion of fish in this river. 



Peculiar feeding habits of the carp in the Lower Moyar. — On examin- 

 ing a carp of about 2 lb. weight I found it gorged with the seed of 

 the prickly-pear fruit. As this fruit grows some distance from the 

 banks of the river and is impossible for fish to reach, I found some 

 difficulty at first to know how they procured it till after careful 

 observation close under some big trees an occasional splash of 

 something dropping into the water followed by the swirl of a big 

 fish, revealed the fact that the seed of this fruit actually passes 

 undigested from monkeys and is eagerly eaten on reaching the 

 water by these carp. Judging by a number of fish I procured here 

 and examined, the seed seems to pass through them as well, entire, 

 and without decomposition. 



MINOR STREAMS. 



Report on Parson's Valley stream, dated 10th November 1906. 



Temperature, upper reaches, 58 Fahr. ... 9-30 a.m. 

 „ lower (falls) 6o° „ ... Noon. 



Nature of the bottom. — Sand and gravel. 



Fish food. — This stream is very prolific in live fish food, the 

 following being largely in evidence, viz. — 



Water beetles mollusca, crabs, caddis, indigenous minnows, 

 and numerous animalcules and larvae. 



I netted the stream, at several stretches, and captured and 

 examined three trout, viz. — 



(i) Salmo irideus, 13 inch, male, condition very healthy. 



(2) „ II „ female „ 



\5) ») 10 ,, ,, ,, ,, 



