194 INDIAN FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



found in places that were a day or two previous hard 

 and dry. 



Some species, as the Anabas scandens and the 

 Ophiocephalidse, are able to travel a considerable dis- 

 tance on dry land ; this they do when they find the 

 water failing them in their own pond. They generally 

 make their migrations during the night, and seem to 

 possess an instinctive knowledge of the direction in 

 which to proceed in order to reach water. They have 

 often, however, been noticed travelling in the broad 

 daylight, but this is a dangerous proceeding, as the 

 kites and crows make short work of these fish out of 

 water. 



On the approach of spring the fish generally appear 

 to wake up again. Their seasons are, however, much 

 dependent upon the rains, which commence at different 

 times in various parts of the country; thus in Assam 

 the first rains fall in March, in the Punjab not until 

 July. 



Another cause that affects the streams of the Hima- 

 layan ranges is the melting of the snows, by which 

 such of the rivers as have their sources among the 

 higher hills are filled with cold snow-water during 

 the first half of the year. Thus the habits of the 

 fish vary in different rivers. As far as the Mahaseer 

 are concerned, however, I believe that, generally 

 speaking, March and April are considered the best 

 months for fishing. When the rains begin, these fish 

 commence moving up the streams for spawning pur- 

 poses. At this time of year every rivulet becomes 



