1918.] N. Annandalk : F/sJi of flic Inle Lake. 35 



Stedman by Boulengei- {op. cif.: 1893) or being represented in our 

 collection : — 



NemacJtilus botia (Hani. Buch.). 

 Barhus dukai, Day. 

 Barhus tor (Ham. Buch.). 

 Barhus nigrovittatus , Boulenger. 

 Barbies stoliczJcanus, Day. 

 Barilius ornatus, Sauvage. 

 Danio aequipinnatvs (McCl.). 

 Ojihioce'phalus gachua, Haui. BucL. 

 Ophiocephalus siamensib, Giinther. 



Most of these species probably live in canals and in streams that 

 run iiito or out of the lake. We found Nemachilus botia, Barhus dukcii 

 and Danio aeqaipinnatv.s common in small strearcis in the surrounding 

 hills, and the Mahseer {Barhvs tor) is caught both in the ri^er that 

 flows out of the southern end of the lake and on the He-Ho plain. 



There are several noteworthy points about the lake species. Most, 

 perhaps all of them also occur in sluggish streams and pools on the 

 He-Ho plain, and it is clear that the fish-fauna of the lake that once 

 occupied that plain and the fish-fauna of the Inle Lake were 

 practically identical. "VMth this exception, however, no less than 12 

 species (more than half of the true lacustrine species) and 2 genera are 

 apparently endemic. The geographical relations of the fish of the 

 whole basin will, however, be discussed later in more detail. 



The absence of certain famihes and the scanty representation of 

 others is noteworthy, but is probably correlated with the fact that the 

 lake is situated in an isolated position at a fairly high altitude. The 

 place of the Cyprinodontidae is taken to a large extent by unusually 

 small and highly specialized members cf the Cyprinidae. 



PHYSICAL AND OTHER CONDITIONS IN THE LAKE AS THEY 

 EFFECT THE FISH. 



In the general introduction to this volume I have given an account 

 of the Inle Lake. Here I need do no more than repeat, with shght 

 omissions and alterations, what I said about the biological aspect of 

 the fisheries in a pamphlet recently pubHshed by the Government of 

 Burma.i 



The Inle Lake is situated in the State of Yawnghwe (Southern Shan 

 States) at an altitude of 3,000 feet above sea-level and is about 14 

 miles long by 4 miles broad. It is surrounded by marsh-land of a 

 peculiar type, comparable on a small scale to the sudd of the Nile and 

 composed of dead and living vegetation matted together and floating on 

 the surface of the w^ater. In the dry season the lake is now^here more 

 than 12 feet deep. So far as fish are concerned, a very important 

 feature of the water is its clearness, which permits sunUght to penetrate 

 to the bottom and thus encourages the growth of dense submerged 

 thickets of weed. 



1 A note on the Fisheries of the Inle Lake, Southern Shan Slates (Government Pres.e, 

 Rangoon : 1917). 



e3 



