198 INDIAN FRESH-WATER FISHES. 



this practice in every instance without inquiry. In 



some cases fish poisoning may be carried on without bad 



effects, but it depends entirely on the character of the 



locality, and the process has to be conducted carefully. 



At the base of the Khasia Hills, for instance, 



towards Sylhet, the streams form pools, long, narrow, 



and very deep, which are full of splendid fish. The 



Khasias poison these pools on certain occasions, once, 



I think, in three years, and capture an enormous 



quantity of fish which they dry in the sun and which 



forms their principal diet till the next time comes 



round again. In this instance the harm done is not 



great, although it takes several years for the water to 



recover its supply of fish ; but there is no other way 



in which the fish could be captured in this place, 



as nets could not be used, on account of the depth of 



the water, and the jagged limestone rocks. Neither 



are the fish wasted, but, on the contrary, being 



carefully dried, they form an important portion 



of the food supply of the adjoining villages. Also 



it is important to notice in this case that there is free 



water communication both with the upper portions of 



the streams and with the river below, from both 



of which sources these pools can become restocked. 



In other cases these conditions are not fulfilled, for 



example in these same Khasia Hills, in the streams on 



the plateau above, the natives seem to have practised 



the same method of capture that they find successful 



in the pools below, but here there are no means of 



naturally restocking these streams, and consequently 



