2X4 



Records of the Indian Museum. [Voi,. XXII, 1921.] 



the other end inside the hollow of a thicker bamboo which forms 

 the handle. The handle of the spear is about S inches in length 



while the total length is five feet. 

 The Manipuri laoii is constructed 

 on an entirely different plan. It 

 consists of a fairly long and thick 

 bamboo pole, at one end of which 

 several short sticks with iron 

 prongs at their ends are firmly 

 fixed. Some of these are fixed 

 inside the hollow of the pole, just 

 as in the Naga laou. but others 

 are tied all round it with a cane 

 lashing. Bamboo splinters are 

 wedged in between the prongs 

 to keep them in position. This 

 spear is chiefly used for catching 

 big fish in the Loktak Lake. 

 When a fisherman sees some dis- 

 turbance in the grass, he throws 

 his spear at the place. I was 

 given to understand that as big 

 nets cannot be used in the lake 

 on account of the thick vegeta- 

 tion, all the large sized fish are 

 captured with this spear. 



Hooks and Lines. 



I did not see any fishing-rods 

 in use in Manipur, but I was in- 

 formed that a crude type of rod 

 is used in the valley. Peculiar 

 bamboo hooks, sometimes tied at 

 intervals to a long line were seen 

 in use in the Loktak Lake. The 

 hooks consist of thin bamboo 

 splinters sharpened at both ends 

 and notched in the middle for the 

 lashing. They are very flexible 

 and the bait, which consists of 

 worms and insects or of small 

 species of Barbus, is put on by bringing the two ends together. 

 The efficiency of the hook depends upon the elasticity of the bam- 

 boo, for as soon as the fish has swallowed the bait, the hook opens 

 out; the ends penetrate the side of the mouth, often protruding 

 through the gill openings. Several scores of these hooks are used 

 in making a line. 



cc. 



b. 



Text-fig. 6. — Drawings of models of 

 fifh spears. 



(a) Manipuri laoit for spearing 



ordinary fish. 

 (6) Naga laou for spearing eels. 



