NO. 4 (1920) THE FISHERIES OF THE NILGIRIS U5 



sheer drop into the Mysore Ditch below Teppakadu is occupied 

 principally by Carnatic carp. They grow to a fair size and are 

 distributed all over the section. 



Habits, — They frequent deep pools and can be seen moving up 

 and down the edges in search of food, selecting places where 

 trees overhang or where coarse grass grows on the banks. When 

 the wild fig tree (which is common to this section) is in fruit, they 

 can be found in shoals underneath it eagerly catching and eating 

 the fruit as the wind or monkeys shake it from the trees. During 

 this season he is a greedy feeder and goes on eating while greatly 

 distended with undigested fruit. During my visit a large branch 

 of one of these trees had been pulled down (evidently by an 

 elephant) and the bushy end was dangling in the river. I noticed 

 a great disturbance of the water in the vicinity and partially 

 dismembered branch being continually pulled. On investigation 

 I found a school of carp eagerly biting off the fruit and at each 

 pull other ripe berries dropped off, the disturbance of the water 

 being caused by the keen competition of the numerous fish to 

 seize them as they fell. 



Food. — Baiting with a berry I secured and examined the 

 contents of one of the school. The outward appearance would 

 suggest a fish full of spawn, but on opening I found a sticky mass 

 of undigested fruit distending the stomach to its utmost capacity. 

 They seem to gorge themselves entirely with these berries, when 

 able to procure them in any quantities and neglect for the time 

 being other numerous sources of fish food. In pools where there 

 are none of these trees on the banks, the Carnatic carp move up 

 and down close to the edge and secure numerous grasshoppers 

 which the coarse overhanging grass harbours in thousands. 



Contents of stomach. — I examined the contents of several fish 

 and found a quantity of grasshoppers, shrimp and a lot of small 

 larvae. They also contained a certain amount of vegetable matter, 

 but as it was half-digested it was difficult to identify. 



The fish as an object of sport. — They give one good run and, if 

 caught in rapid water with fine tackle, are quite game at first, but 

 soon give in. 



Poaching — Fry traps. — In the upper reaches I found traces of 

 small traps placed across side runners or ditches, which were then 

 dry. They had evidently been in use during the last floods and 

 allowed to remain. . 



