( 23 ) 



sea about Pebruary for the pm-pose of breeding iu the river, 

 from wliich it ngaiu (lesccnds to tlio Rnlt-wator about tiie 

 end of September or commencement of October, after wbich 

 none, even young, can be found. Tbey are only taken in 

 dhniids, stagnant jiieces of water or canals, due to some 

 accidental cause or unnatural obstruction having obliged 

 them, to turn aside from tlieir natural breeding-grounds. 

 Tlie mnin body of tbosc fish swarm \\\^ tlie large rivers of India 

 and Burma generally as soon as the S. W. monsoon 

 commences, but not always at the same period, such ap- 

 parently at times being dependant upon the rapidity of the 

 current and other causes. That it is not solely duo to the 

 presence of rain-w^ater is shown by the Indus and Irrawadi ; 

 in the former, the floods are mainly caused by melted snows 

 at this period (see para. VI), wliilst in the Irrawadi these fish 

 push on to Upper IBvirma, to which country the S. W, 

 moonson scarcely extends, and there the inundations are 

 also due to melting snows. One reason wby j^eriods of 

 flood are selected as tliose for breeding, appears to be due 

 to their being practically acquainted with the fact, that at these 

 times the shallows are covered with water, rendering ascent 

 practicable, conscquenily they now come up to deposit their 

 ova, which is always done in the rivers, never in tanks or 

 canals. Amongst the non-mi gratoj'jj herrings, some species, as 

 Enrp-avlis Chaloessits and the Corica siiboi'iia, appear to breed 

 in rivers or even tanks. 



XXXIX. There are also a few other fishes which, 

 however, are not much esteemed as 

 food, some of which belong to tlio 

 order rJn/sostomi. In the eel-like family, Sj/nibranc/ndcc, 

 but generally in fresh-waters or marshy ] daces not far 

 removed from the sea level, is fouiul the curious A'tvphi2)nons 

 euchia. Amongst the true eels, Mur(pnid(V, there are several 

 species which are takcii in fresh and brackish waters, but it is 

 only Angiiilla Beiigalensis that appears to live at some 

 distance inland. 



XL. In the order LoPUomtANcnii, a little pijie-fish 

 , , , , . ^ , , is very connnonly found in rivers, 



Lonliobrancliiate order of t . " , "., ,,, 



fishes. andni some places is termed the cro= 



codilo's tooth, from an id(\a that it is 

 the vivified tooth of one; ol' these n^ptiles, in other districts it is 

 called the crocodile's tooth-pick, from the use wliich it is said 

 to be to those animals. It is the Ichlliyocampus carce, and as 

 food is useless. 



