J92I.] S. L. HoRA : Fisli of Manipiir. 211 



A kao which was seen in use in the Wang-jing stream near 

 the village of the same name was 2 ft. 2 in. in height, 5 ft. in 

 length and 6 ft. broad. 



The fish generally caught in this trap are Cfossochilus latia and 

 Botia herdmorei , besides smaller species such as Barbus ticto and 

 Lepidocephalichthys irroraia. 



The tikhau-riih or "trap of the Assamese" is the biggest 

 trap used in the streams of the valley. It is circular, pointed at 

 one end and with a funnel-shaped passage of bamboo spikes con- 

 verging inwards at the other end. A strong bamboo pole is lashed 

 to one of its sides for the attachment of ropes. Two ropes are 

 used, one is tied to the closed narrow end of the trap and the other 

 to the pole. A tikhau-ruh seen in the Imphal River was 7-5 ft. in 

 length and 2\ ft. in diameter. The funnel was 2\ ft. in length and 

 the bamboo pole 3I ft. The length of the ropes varies according 

 to the stream in which the trap is used (pi. xii, fig. 4). 



The method of using the trap is interesting and throws some 

 light on the breeding season of Manipur fish. The open end is 

 placed down stream during the months of February and March, 

 whilst during September arid October the same end is placed point- 

 ing up stream. According to the Manipur belief, the fish ascend 

 the streams during February and March and descend during 

 September and October. In using the trap, a long bamboo pole is 

 fixed vertically in the middle of the stream. A rope from the 

 narrow end of the trap is tied to the pole, while the broader end 

 is attached by a second rope to a peg on the bank. 



Many other varieties of traps are used in the lyoktak Lake. 

 These, however, do not differ from those commonly used in Bengal 

 and which have been described by Anderson.' 



Other characteristic traps are used by the Nagas and Mani- 

 puris for catching small hill-stream fishes. The lo-ln (pi. xii, fig. 3) 

 of the Nagas is a funnel-shaped trap, with the narrow part greatly 

 elongated and slightly dilated at the end. The bamboo sticks, of 

 which it is made, have a spiral twist and are held in position by cane 

 strings which run spirally from one end to the other. It is used 

 in places where there is an abrupt fall in the water level. In such 

 places the trap is fixed by means of a cane string and a peg, with 

 its broad end pointing up stream. The narrow end is plugged 

 with grass and small fish travelling with the current are carried 

 into the trap. Owing partly to the rapidity of the flow of water 

 and partly to the fact that they are confined in the narrow neck 

 of the trap, they are unable to escape. 



The Manipuri lo-hi (pi. xii, fig. 2) is similar but shorter and 

 more massive. Instead of a single cane string it has two which are 

 tied to two pegs one on either side of the small channel of water in 

 which it is used. The Manipuris often use this kind of trap in their 

 rice-fields, where the water from a field at a higher level flows to 

 another at a lower level. 



' Anderson. Cat. Fish. Appliances, Bengal. (1883). 



