INTRODUCTION. IX 



It may, then, with safety bo asserted, that amongst tho animal products of Malabar its fish are 

 exceedingly valuablo, and their capture even now gives employment to largo numbers of fishermen 

 along the coast and backwater ; whilst further inland tho slave castes obtain much nutriment from 

 those which they catch early in the morning and late in tho evening, when not employed in agricul- 

 tural labour. On the Travancore hills the Rev. Henry Baker states that in some of the deep pools 

 in the rivers, the numbers of large Cyprinidas are surprising ; hundreds on hundreds aro killed by 

 striking them at night with knives as they rise to a torch held close to the surface of the water. 



Some fish are mostly eaten fresh, some are preferred salted, others are employed in the arts, 

 in manufactures, or in medicine. The roes of the large Mullets and of the small Hemiramphi 

 are considered great delicacies, either fresh, salted, or dried. The best Tamarind fish is prepared 

 from the Seir fish and from the Lates calcarifer, a rather inferior quality from the Polynemus, and 

 the most common from any kind of fish. The process is as follows : — Tho fish is boiled, then its 

 bones are removed ; it is next cut into thick slices, and having been highly spiced, is left to soak 

 for some days, and subsequently packed in jars. It is held in great estimation in the East. 



In ancient times the " Meen Kodah" or " Fish Standard" was the symbol of the kings of 

 Pandya, the rulers of Malabar, who up to recent times received tribute from the Rajahs of 

 Travancore. This device may still be traced on many of the copper coins which pass current in 

 the country, whilst the same design it is well known exists upon Buddhist seals. To this day the 

 Rajpoots are said to have a fish carried before their most illustrious chieftains when setting out 

 on important expeditions. Even witchcraft claims its share in the finny tribes, and the fortunate 

 possessor of the tail of a Ray, Trygon uarnak, with its spine intact, is believed to be safe from the 

 effects of spells and charms, as well as able to face the " evil eye" with impunity. 



Fish are kept as objects of adoration by pious Hindus, being held typical of Vishnu, who in 

 this form is considered to have rescued the Vedas from the waters of the flood. 



Catching a fish is asserted to be still one of the ceremonies at the nuptials of Konkanie Brah- 

 mans, typical of the fact that they were originally fishermen before the attainment of their present 

 dignity of Brahmans. The adherents to various religious creeds show antipathies to particular 

 tribes ; high caste Hindus of course abjure the use of all, and almost as zealously do the Jews and 

 Mahomedans refrain from the Rays, Skates, Eels, and the scaleless families. 



No form of animal food is more common in Malabar, for it is palatable to both Europeans and 

 Natives : indeed, without its presence the Native Christians consider their curries to be imperfect. 

 Light and easy of digestion, strengthening and savoury, no wonder that it is so highly esteemed. 

 The flesh of sharks and rays are salted, and find a ready sale in inland places, as they are con- 

 sidered especially desirable for women soon after childbirth. The fins of the sharks are dried, 

 and find their way to China, whilst even the bones of some (the Mass) are boiled down for gelatine. 



To the medical profession the subject of the effect of a fish diet upon the health of a 

 large population offers a wide field for investigation. A few species are observed to be highly 

 indigestible, or even poisonous, as the Tetraodons, known as " sea porcupines" to Europeans, 



