cxlii 



315. Having* thus briefly enumerated the rivers and waters used 



as breeding-places, and the fishes inhabit- 

 Impediments to fish breeding • , i ,1 • -, •• • -, 



in the North- West Provinces. in g" them > the consideration arises—do any 



causes exist which impede their carrying- out 

 in a satisfactory manner these natural instincts ? First, we have irri- 

 gation weirs across the two large rivers, which, unfurnished with fish 

 passes, entirely preclude the re-ascent of fish having 1 once passed over 

 them, or happening to be below them. This must arrest every marine 

 migratory fish ascending to breed, so they are rendered practically use- 

 less for increasing their species. Next, all the migratory carps that have 

 passed over them during the cold months in their pursuit of food cannot 

 re-ascend — they also become hors de combat. And, lastly, of the irrigation 

 works, there are the canals which act in precisely the same way. Perhaps 

 it will be well to give facts as witnessed by others. The Collector 

 of Muttra (para. 334) observes, — " I have watched the first rush of 

 water let in, and have been astonished at the shoals of fish brought 

 down by it. * * In the Meerut district I saw hundreds of 

 mahaseer come down ; they were all carried over the fall as they had 

 been over a dozen higher up between that point and Hurdwar, not one 

 of which could by any possibility have got back again up the canal.'" 

 (See para. 1 2 on irrigation weirs and their effects.) These canals thus 

 form traps on a large scale wherein fish are destroyed wholesale 

 whenever the water is cut off, and that this is not seldom, I adduce 

 the following figures to prove. In the Eastern Jumna canal the number 

 of times and days it has been without a supply of water are as 

 follows : — 



4 years ending December 31st, 1810. No. of times closed, 58 No. of days closed, 203 



5 „ „ „ 1845. ,, „ 53 ,, „ 356 



5 „ „ „ 1850. „ ., 48 „ „ 194 



47 „ „ 265 



5 „ „ „ I860. „ „ 36 „ „ 267 



5 „ ,. „ 1865. „ „ 31 „ „ 240 



5 „ „ „ 1870. „ „ 14 „ „ 216 



If we now examine as to the comparative number of days on 

 which the canals have been closed, we find the longest period from 29th 

 October 1845 to December 15th, 1845, or 47 days, and the shortest a 

 single day, thus — 



During the first 4 years closures averaged o£ days each. 

 „ next 5 „ „ 65 



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The frequent closure of canals must be destructive to fish, unless they 

 are able to retire into deep holes or contiguous tanks, where they may 

 remain quiet until the canal is refilled ; but of course should the canal 

 be left dry for very long periods, as over eight or ten days, the probabilities 

 are that the water will have become so foul that the fish will die. Out 

 of 287 times this canal was closed between January 1837 and December 



