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t lint arc weired not. far from flio base of the Ilimalayas, tlio luUy 

 streams of wliicli arc the natural hrceding-j^lacca for some, 

 as the mnhaseer, &c. They descend over them before the 

 cokl months, wlien the rivers above contain too little water or 

 are unsuitcd for their residence ; and when attemptinjif to 

 return up-stream, find this stone Avail an insuperable obstacle : 

 thus their reproduction is likewise prevented. These ques- 

 tions will have to be considered more fully further on, but 

 ai'c only introduced here to demonstrate that it is fish heavy 

 in I'oe which must have a free passage, at least if the 

 fisheries are worth conserving, and such a ruinous course 

 is iiot checked by sensible measures of restriction, irre- 

 spective of the consideration that below these weirs or obstacles 

 large accumulations of fish take ])lace, and thus assist mau 

 and other predaceous animals in destroying them. Fish when 

 heavy in roe are not so well able to jump any great heights 

 as are some of the younger or barren ones. Standing at the 

 period of freshes, on the bridge above one of the Madras 

 weirs possessing these narrow under-sluices, it is interesting to 

 see the numbers of fisli, both large and small, which leap up 

 against their walls : some strike against the piers of the 

 bridge, others fall into the cascade descending over its summit ; 

 but though I have passed hours Avatching them, I never saw 

 one clear these obstacles, although I have seen thousands 

 attempting it. The only rational reason that I can adduce 

 for the jumping against the insurmountable weir Avails 

 Avhilst the narrow vmder-sluiccs arc open, is because they 

 find such to be impassable. Could they ascend through these, 

 Avhy do they not ? The truth is that they are unaljle to 

 do so. When these fishes were netted, many, especially the 

 large ones, Avere bruised and scaleless in places, evidently 

 due to injuries caused during their frantic but unavailing 

 efforts to surmount the wall, or ascend through the open 

 but narrow under-sluices. Take the Colcroon River as an 

 instance. Since the construction of the loAver weir, the shad, 

 Avhich formerly ascended high up to breed, and are noAv cx- 

 iensively netted below it, have never been taken above it 

 (unless a breach has occurred), and this although there is 

 a second weir nearer its source, Avhere netting Avas permitted, 

 and Avhich Avas a further obstacle to ascent. At this second 

 Aveir indiscriminate slaughter of fish Avas being carried on 

 when I was there ; mercy Avas unknoAvn ; the amount of 

 present spoil formed the only anxiety of the fisherman, 

 Avhilst the injury being done to future years' supj)ly was 

 entirely unheeded. 



