xlix 



gious reasons, whilst the Kolis eat both. The turtles or tortoises are put into 

 wells where they eat up any rubbish that may fall in, and keep down the crabs, 

 who are great enemies of all masonry work. Although only Government 

 rights in respect to the fisheries exist, there is half an exception in the 

 case of so-called sacred fish at Wozre Talooka, Indapoor. A similar case 

 is at Wozer in the Joonere Talooka, a village belonging in Dewusthan 

 Inam to a temple of Gunputi. The inhabitants objected to any persons 

 catching fish in their pool of the Kookree river, and first brought false 

 accusations against the Joonere fishermen of poisoning the water. After- 

 wards they said that the Joonere Mussulmen who came to fish insulted 

 the women drawing water. On a personal investigation, it came out 

 that " these fish are fed in honour of our god, and we do not like their being 

 killed.'" At Chinchwad, where the village on one side belongs to the 

 god who does not even pay joodee, and the other shore is his inam 

 garden, the Karbharee stated the god claimed no proprietary right in 

 the fish fed from the temple steps. The existence, however, of a 

 few sanctuaries is probably useful to the fisheries. The First Assistant 

 Collector of Puna (April lOtk, 1872) remarked that there is a strong 

 Brahmin element in the district, which is sufficient to deter fishermen 

 from prying their trade in many places. When, however, they are not 

 interfered with, they catch fish in all seasons by every means in their 

 power, chiefly by netting, sometimes by poison, and less frequently by 

 baited hooks. In the large rivers fishing cannot be carried on during 

 heavy floods, and throughout the year the priestly influence, above noted, 

 greatly protects the fish. Breeding and very young ones are caught to 

 some extent, whilst, on the subsidence of the floods, bag nets and baskets 

 are placed in openings constructed in artificial dams which are roughly 

 thrown across streams. During the rainless season, the large deep pools, 

 which abound in the rivers, are netted. These rivers cannot be said to 

 be perennial, so far as the fish are concerned, for in many places the 

 stream that flows during the hot weather is so slender as to be useless 

 for them, and occasionally merely oozes through the gravelly bed of the 

 river. No size of the mesh of nets is disallowed ; the minimum size 

 obtained is y\jth of an inch between knot and knot (sample enclosed) . As 

 regards the appropriate regulation-size for the mesh of nets, it should 

 not be less than half an inch between knot and knot for bag nets, and one 

 inch for drag nets. He objects to prohibiting the sale of the fry of fish 

 in the bazar at first, but would rely upon regulating the size of the 

 mesh of the nets. 



101. The Collector of Tanna reported (August 12th, 1871) that no 



large fresh-water rivers exist in his district, all 



Tanna?'' 011 ° f ^ C ° lleCt ° r ° f of that description being large streams formed 



as natural outlets for the rainfall flowing 

 from the Ghats and high lands. During the monsoon months these 

 rivers are full, the body of water flowing down these outlets towards the 

 sea with great force. During the dry weather the beds of these rivers are 

 dry, excepting where large and deep reaches exist. Here fish are found, 

 and fishing is resorted to by the various villagers dwelling in the vicinity ; 

 in hardly any instance, however, have they any right in such fisheries, 

 other than that of a prescriptive one. At Callian there is a place into 

 which fresh water pours during the rains. The right of fishing is held 



d 



