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from the end of the rains to February or March. They are caught also in 

 the hot weather in favourable places, and in the rains when practicable, 

 but the water is mostly too heavy then for any serious damage to breed- 

 ing-fishes. Their fry are largely caught as the waters subside after the 

 rains. It is a common thing to see men and boys scooping- up the 

 muddy water from the drying pools in the hollows of their hands, and 

 letting it run through again, whilst the fry remain in their palms. The 

 fry and small fish are also caught with small meshed nets, and with 

 coop-shaped basket or khanchas." The supply is considered to remain 

 the same. Fish-ladders to irrigation weirs and tanks, into which they 

 could retire as the canals are dried, are considered the most necessary 

 measures proposed for preserving fish. "Any effective measures for re- 

 ducing the enormous numbers of crocodiles in our rivers would do much 

 more,"than any restriction on fishing, to increase the quantity of fish in 

 them. The destruction of crocodiles' eggs could no doubt be extensively 

 effected by the offer of an adequate reward. But any such scheme, to 

 be of use, would have to be carried out not only in these provinces, but 

 all down the lengths of the rivers which traverse them ; otherwise, so 

 fast as the crocodiles were destroyed here, others would travel up and take 

 their places from below.'" Close seasons and regulating the minimum 

 size of the mesh of nets are considered impracticable, as they could not 

 be effectually enforced. The Officiating Collector of Etawah (February 

 16th, 1872) observed, that " no doubt breeding-fish and very young ones 

 are destroyed to a large extent in all places where there is water and 

 they can be got at. Nets are largely employed, but they are also killed 

 with sticks in the shallow water, and even caught with the hand : some 

 kinds are shot. The smallest sized mesh of the nets used here is ^rd of 

 an inch square. Great difficulties, it is considered, would militate against 

 regulating the minimum size of the meshes of nets, or prohibiting the 

 sale of the fry of fish in the bazars." Were close seasons decided upon, 

 from June to August are suggested as the most appropriate. " The only 

 pi-eventive measure that could be enforced without much difficulty is, 

 I think, the prohibition of all weirs in the smaller rivers and streams." 

 " If Government will give a reward for crocodiles' eggs, there is no doubt 

 that plenty of eggs would be brought in : but otters are quite as formid- 

 able to fish as crocodiles, and there is also an animal called f suV or 'sus- 

 mar' (porpoise) which preys on fish, and these seem to require as much 

 attention as crocodiles.-" The Collector of Agra (February 13th, 1872) 

 replied, that he had no personal knowledge on the subject, and therefore 

 expressed no opinion. Mr. Adams (in 1869) reported, respecting Agra, 

 that in his " opinion a wanton destruction of fish does take place. In 

 the cool of the early morning, when the fry swim about the banks of the 

 river, a class of boys are in the habit of dredging for prawns and 

 shrimps, and then great quantities of fry are thrown into baskets." 

 The Assistant Collector's memo, on the subject was enclosed. He observed 

 that the Agra market, he believes, is supplied with fish all the year 

 round. The Collector of Muttra (February 13th, 1872) reported : — 

 " I cannot but think that the destruction of fish, through cap- 

 ture of breeding-fish or fry, bears a very small proportion to the 

 injury caused in this part of India by canals. I have seen much 

 of the Ganges and Jumna canals that run through Meerut, and 



