88 SPOLIA ZEYDANIGA, 
NOTES ON THE FRESH-WATER FISHERIES OF CEYLON. 
By A. Wittny, M.A., D.So., F.RB.S. 
Professor of Zoology in the McGill University, Montreal ; late Director 
of the Colombo Museum. 
(With one Plate and three Text Figures.) 
[The following notes are taken from Dr. Willey’s preliminary 
account of the Inland Fisheries of Ceylon in the Administration 
Reports of 1908 and 1909.—Eb. | 
HE object of the inquiry is to obtain biological and, as far as 
may be possible, statistical information about the indigenous - 
marketable fishes, to devise measures for arresting a decline of the 
fisheries, and to introduce one or more useful species from abroad. 
As no records have been kept in former years, it is impossible to 
demonstrate that a progressive reduction in the amount of the 
catches is in fact taking place. There seems to be a general 
impression that this is the case ; and it is evident that the clearing 
of forests for plantation purposes must re-act upon the water 
systems of the cultivated districts by silting up the tributaries of 
the rivers. The more the country is brought under cultivation, by 
so much the more should attention be directed to the habits of the 
food-fishes. And this is about all that can be, and perhaps all that 
need be, said on the subject of the decline of the fisheries. The 
illegal use of dynamite and narcotic poisons is not a danger which 
threatens the entire fish-fauna ; and it may be assumed that the 
steps which are already taken to prevent the application of these 
objectionable methods of capturing fish are adequate. 
The present investigation is mainly concerned with the fresh-water 
fisheries of the Western and the North-Central Provinces, the former 
being selected as typical of river fishing, the latter of tank fishing. 
In this part I shall refer chiefly to certain aspects of the fishing 
industry in the Western Province. In the first place, however, it 
is necessary to note that for the understanding of this question it 
is important to realize at once and for all the essential economic 
difference which exists in Ceylon between sea fishing and estuarine 
fishing on the one hand and inland fishing on the other. Speaking 
generally, it may be said that there is no independent fresh-water 
fishing industry in Ceylon. What takes place is merely a collateral 
pursuit subservient to paddy cultivation and cattle raising. Sea 
and estuarine fishing is a main industry of the maritime districts ; 
river and tank fishing is a collateral industry of the interior, 
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