( 10 ) 



XIV. Thus here was a weir with narrow imder-sluiccs 

 Weirs Willi iinriow umier- at which the shacl werc being detained 



sluices, eoiitiimea. cndeavoviriug to ascend to their s})awn- 



ing beds, although these uuder-shiices were open during 

 freshes, and the Hoods were so great that a mere ripple on the 

 siu'faee of the river only marked the presence of a weir. In 

 spite of all tiiis, no fish have been found to pass this obstruc- 

 tion, and surely did they do so, a solitary straggler might have 

 been taken. Even a barren fish, in fact, a shad of any sort, 

 had not appeared at Triehiuopoly during the whole period 

 that this construction has existed and been intact. IShad, 

 or rather large fish, have been taken in these under-sluices, 

 but only when they were closed at the up-streani end. It 

 is true that a good current is then coming down between 

 the boards which close these vents or narrow passages, but 

 it does not ])revent stroni.'' healthy fish from ascending as far 

 as the boards, but these xery boards form an effectual bar 

 to their ouAvard progress. The very use of the sluices is 

 to force the water down with such impetuosity that, during 

 liigh freshes Avhcn they are open, no Indian fresh-water fish 

 could possibly ascend when the Aveirs are several feet in 

 height : the water shoots down the openings and across 

 the apron, bubbling and boiling a hundred yards or more 

 doAVU-stream. This torrent of about six feet in width is 

 like a mill race, or as if it were shot out of an engine, 

 carrying down stones, sand, &c., in its course, and which of 

 themseives would be sufficient to injure fish attempting to 

 ascend. Erom personal observation I am satisfied no fish 

 could pass up them : persons locally employed on these Avoirs 

 assert the passage of fish to be impossil^le : above such con- 

 structions these migratory species attempting to ascend cannot 

 be found; it must, therefore, be evident to any one avIio Avill 

 consider the question, that Aveirs are effectual barriers to the 

 ascent of fish, even although such possess narrow under-sluices 

 that are left open during the periods of the freshes. 



XV. The iolde tuidei'-shiices, such as exist in the weirs 

 Weirs i,avins wido un.ie,- ^^ Cuttack and Midiiapur, are cou- 



siuicos no imiiudiiiKiit to nscumi- structcd Oil all ciitircly dillcrcnt prin- 

 iug fish wi.eu .ueh ave opeu. clplc and pattcm, fomiing free gaps 



of many yards in width, so that, Avheii open, fish cannot have 

 any difhciilty in ascending through them. 



XVI. These AA'cirs likcAvise, it is stated, may be topped 

 Fish unubio to nscciid over by fish during licavy floods, as then 



weirs. they may ascend over them, es[)ecially 



when the summit of their Avail is several feet beloAV the 



