146 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII, 



Construction. — Constructed of wood in the shape of a large 

 " rake head ' with long teeth close together, they are fastened 

 securely across the ditch or runner at a slight angle with teeth in 

 the gravel. 



The object is to capture the small fry which frequent these 

 side places for protection during flood times. In some of them the 

 teeth could be raised from the gravel by turning the top cross 

 piece to allow anything to enter, the others evidently were con- 

 structed as the floods were finally subsiding and the fry would be 

 already in. Judging by their primitive nature and poor construc- 

 tion they are not effective, but will do a certain amount of 

 damage. 



Poachers. — The nearest hamlet to this place is called Torappalli, 

 occupied by a few fisherpeople called Paniyans. These are 

 no doubt the makers of the traps, and from information, I received, 

 they are said to possess better fry and other traps, but I could find 

 no trace of them. They are also credited with having fine mesh 

 nets which they use when the waters are low. I never found these 

 however and expect they would have hidden them away when 

 they heard I was visiting the river. 



Fixed engines. — I found no trace of fixed engines in this section 

 of the Moyar. So they must rely on other methods not so effective 

 to capture the fish. 



Poison. — I am informed that poison is used during the dry 

 weather above and below Teppakadu, but to what extent I had no 

 means of judging. 



Fish food. — This section abounds with fish food of great 

 variety; the temperature of the water being warmer than that in 

 section (I) everything of this nature is found of a larger size. 

 Large mollusca, shrimp, dragon-fly larvae, crabs and an abund- 

 ance of numerous animalcules I have collected and preserved 

 specimens in formalin. It is the custom for the people on this 

 section to fish for crabs which they eat with their curry. To catch 

 them they split open one end of a thin bamboo stick and insert a 

 small fish with the head protruding. They then wade up the 

 river poking this under the edge. The crab seizes hold and in 

 this way they gather large quantities. 



Remarks. — Not knowing the early history of this section of the 

 Moyar I am unable to state whether it has been badly poached 

 and depleted of fish, but judging by one of the sure signs, i.e., the 



