122 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



the other hand at high tide the clefts in the rocks, behind the shelter of 

 which the Tiddler lies secure from the buffetings of the waves, may be 

 covered with six feet of water. In this case a trout-fly will probably not 

 be seen. At about half tide, however, this game little fish will take a 

 fly with aidity ; and, if the angler cares to work for a heavy creel, as 

 many as 40 to 60 Tiddlers may be caught within the space of a few 

 hours. Experience has proved that a dark-coloured fly is the most killing 

 lure, such as the trout butcher, grouse and claret, alder, etc., but a winged 

 fly would seem to be more attractive than a hackle, and in this connection 

 it is interesting to note that a coch-y-bondu was absolutely despised. 



The average weight oi fuluiflmnma would be about three to the pound, 

 but individual fish of f lb. have been recorded ; it may be accepted there- 

 fore, without overstepping the mark, that the maximum growth of the 

 Tiddler would be about 1 lb., and on a trout cast and fly a fish of even 

 half this weight gives the sportsman a magnificent fight. In angling for 

 Tiddlers one final word of advice is tendered — beware of the hamur. 

 While playing a fish a hamur may also be watching the fun from his 

 den, in which case if opportunity offers he will assuredly dash out and 

 seize it. If such an incident does happen it is extremely unlikely that 

 the Tiddler or trout fly will ever see the light of day again. 



The question will probably be asked whether none of the species men- 

 tioned in the list of surface-feeders will take a fly. Experiments in this 

 direction were never carried out, so that there is no practical basis on 

 which to establish such claims. Other authorities, however, aver that the 

 gar-fish (kharkoor of the Persian Gulf) can be caught on a fly. There 

 would seem to be no reason to suppose that such species as the Susansir, 

 Zayrpur, and small Saran should not rise to a salmon fly such as the Silver 

 Doctor, or some other pattern that bears a shadowy resemblance to a white 

 bait. In temperate waters the basses are fly -takers, and exploration in this 

 field might prove that the " Surkhoo " or other species of genus Lutjanus 

 would give the salmon angler the chance of keeping his eye and wrist in 

 practice during the dog-daj's of enforced banishment in this Eastern 

 Turkish Bath. 



Let us now pass on to an examination of the characteristics of the last 

 group of fishes in our table, viz. , the 



BOTTOxM-FEEDERS. 



It is self-evident that no really hard and fast line can be drawrj 

 separating the surface from th'^ bottom feeders. The pirao is essentially 

 a surface feeder yet an occasional individual fish will be recorded by the 

 locals when bottom-fishing ; similarly the giddie is one of the principal 

 species caught bottom-angling though at times he will come to the gafl' on 

 a trolled bait. On the other hand, there are some species which, owing to 

 the conformation of their anatomy, and the range of their habits, are 

 essentially sand-grubbers. In the following pages we will confine our- 

 selves to a review of those species which are unable, or which refuse, to 

 take a trolled bait. The occasions on which the writer indulged in bottom- 

 fishing were very rare, so that any dissertation on the relative sporting 

 proclivities of the diflerent species will be omitted. It may be taken for 

 granted, however, that all those catalogued are game fish, and will afford 

 sport to the fisherman whose particular bent is this form of angling. 



Just as we found with the surface feeders, so it will be seen with the 

 bottom-feeders that the family 



CARANGIDAE 

 takes precedence. 



