92 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
scoops (yotu-kanda) suspended from crossed poles (figs. 9 and 10), 
according to the size of the wala. Wala-fishing goes on in places 
where no other fishing is available, and is one of the most prolific 
sources of fish supply for villages throughout the low-country, 
including the immediate environs of Colombo. 
At Tebuwana on the Kalu-ganga there is no river fishing worth 
mentioning, but a considerable wala-fishery takes place during the 
dry weather which follows floods. The ponds contain stagnant 
water, and by repeated baling out of muddy water deep pools are ~ 
formed in them, where fish accumulate sometimes in large numbers. 
T inspected one such pond, and witnessed the operation of emptying 
it ; it was called the Kohila-wala, because formerly an edible root 
(kohila) grew where the pond now is, some still remaining on the 
banks. The digging out of the yams and the subsequent flooding 
and scooping out of fish from the mud at certain spots has made 
three deep holes, in one of which there were signs of abundant fish. 
The baling took place on January 25. They commenced by deepen- 
ing an efferent channel and allowing the surface water to flow away 
through it ; then they dammed it up and started baling the water 
overthedam. In this case the baling was done by four men working 
two “hal-kula,” each provided with two pairs of flexible ‘handles 
held by a man on each side with both hands. The men swing the 
baskets between them and work away for three hours or more. The 
catch they said was not up to the average ; it consisted chiefly of 
madaya (Ophiocephalus punctatus), kavaiya (some were egg-laden), 
magura (Clarias magur), a few hunga (Saccobranchus fossilis), lula, 
ankutta, and batakola-telliya. Hach hunga was knocked on the 
head before being taken out, on account of the dangerous pectoral 
spines. The total weight of fish caught was about 22 lb., and the 
value in the local market was put at Re. 1°50 only, an absurdly low 
figure ,* but then it was not going to be sold for cash. As it was, the 
division of the spoil gave rise to much bickering, and one woman 
apparently refused to be comforted. 
The walas occur in places where shade is afforded by adjoining 
vegetation ; an overhanging tree makes a difference to the inhabit- 
ants of a pool. One of the symptoms of the decline of fisheries in 
certain parts of late years is the failure of the old walas ; and this 
is attributed to forest clearing in the neighbourhood, which has a 
two-fold effect, removing shade and increasing silt, large quantities 
of soil being washed down. from the adjacent clearings. The filling 
up of walas by the deposition of sediment in consequence of forest 
clearing has been noted by the Maha Mudaliyar in connection with 
the Attanagala-oya, which flows past Henaratgoda. It may be 
mentioned here that the alleged decline of inland fisheries as a whole 

* Of course, this only applies to one small wala; the total value of the 
wala catches in a given district would be something considerable; and the 
same wala may be baled out three or four times in the year. 
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