MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 383 



The lula is said to run to 3ft. in length. The largest I ever saw was about 

 51b. or 61b., which was taken by a native in a wicker-basket trap. The 

 natives here also catch good ones with a live bait and float on a hand-line. Or 

 when the water is low they " drive " them into nets staked across a narrow 

 opening in tank or river. The largest I have caught with a fly was just 31b. 

 I got three fish one evening weighing 8jlb. Doubtless larger ones might be 

 caught with a frog, but who would use bait so long as fish were to be canght 

 with the fly ? Strong tackle is necessary, as one drops one's fly into a hole 

 between the weeds, and if Mr. Lula takes it, it is a case of " Pull devil, pull 

 baker " — to haul him safe into a more open spot. 



There are many other tank fish, but I have not caught any that rose so 

 freely to fly or was such good eating as the lula ; and these notes are already 

 becoming too long. I will just mention a species of carp which I have caught 

 with fly in tanks here up to nearly |lb. I think this fish is the Olive Carp, or 

 Barbus clirysopoma. He corresponds as nearly as possible with Thomas' 

 picture and description of this fish. 



Of lagoon fish in this district the most common is the " koduva " (Tamil). 

 His classical name is Lates calcarifer. A right handsome fish he is with 

 his deep shoulder, prominent back fin, sheeny body and brilliant eye. But 

 he is not so good as he looks. I have heard his flesh described as a mixture 

 of cotton-wool, mud, and needles — not exactly a " table " fish ! but the 

 natives dry him and eat him. He runs to a huge size — how large I am afraid 

 to say. I have seen him caught with a live bait on hand-lines well over 301b., 

 and I have caught them myself with spoon and spinning bait over 201b., and 

 hooked one monster that — but that is another story. 



He cannot be said to be lively in his play. He is a sulky, dogged brute, 

 but very strong. He takes out line slowly but surely, and woe-betide your 

 tackle if you try to stop a big one too quickly ! I hooked a good one once on a 

 brand-new line that was absolutely sound. He "towed" away about 100 

 yards, when I thought he had gone far enough and put the pressure on. The 

 fish thought differently, and we parted company, the running line breaking, 

 I tested the line when I got home and found it would stand a dead strain of 

 14glb. This will give you some notion of their power. 



The koduva takes the bait very quietly. Often you feel nothing at all, and 

 find your line being slowly taken out as you try to reel in. In my experience, 

 the only way is to let the fish go and follow him as best you can — in a boat 

 if one is available. Disaster has always been the result of my trying to check 

 them. How far they will go with their slow " towing " pull I don't know. A 

 writer in Thomas' book mentions having followed a huge one for 400 yards, 

 but I doubt if this was all in one stretch without any occasional pause. 



Many ara the stories the writer could tell of brave fights with this and other 

 lagoon monsters — how, for example, an enthusiastic brother angler hooked a 

 " big 'un " at dusk which kept him busy all night, and how, in the small hours 

 of the morning, the haggard, weary-eyed angler was still holding on to his 



