( 54, ) 



minute size, attemptin*:' to pass down these water-onnrses 

 towards the rivers or tanks, become entrapped. In irrigated 

 fiekls, where it ])ecomes necessary to throw water from a 

 lower to the higher leve:, a basket is fixed to receive it and 

 through which it passus, thus acting as a strainer ; all tlie 

 fish in it become a prey to the agricultiu-ist. Nets of the 

 most divers forms are likewise employed, some being fixed, 

 others held in the hand, but all uniting in one character — that 

 they allow nothing to escape. In short, by not letting or 

 regulating fisheries, there is no headman or lessee whose 

 interest it is to prevent injui-y to his property, by the 

 slaughter of the breeding-fishes and the destruction of their 

 young : self-interest does not exist, the only certain cause 

 to prevent their annihilation. In British Burma, this trap- 

 ping of fish in the breeding season was locally sanction- 

 ed, and in general use, without being taxed, it, as well as 

 still more murderous forms, if possible, existed in 18()9, 

 and probably do so now. Even through the inundated 

 paddy-fields, which are the known haunts of the fry of 

 fish, the Burmese were being permitted to use an easy and 

 very destructive apparatus. No distinct channels being 

 present in which to place traps, while the ground was too 

 rough for netting, besides the water being low, a largo 

 triangular-shaped basket was employed, and this, being 

 harnessed to a pair of bullocks or buftaloes, was dragged 

 through these muddy retreats of the fry. And how does 

 this principle of throwing open the fisheries, without any 

 restrictions, answer in practice ? It results in decreasing 

 the fish, and consequently diminishing the food of whoh; 

 districts. Water should he as valuable as land for producing 

 food, wliilst indisciiminate farming is not permitted ; were 

 it, any farmer could easily foretell the result — how the strong 

 would hold the richest lands, which, when exhausted, they 

 would leave and move on somewhere else. There are districts, 

 as British Burma, in which certain portions of the waters 

 were set apart in every locality as free fisheries, where 

 any one might fish, and these have been supplemented by a 

 rule that any one may capture sulBcient for home consump- 

 tion, where they liked and how they pleased, provided they 

 did not sell or preserve the spoil. Here we observe such 

 fishers could have no interest in the welfare of the fishery, bul 

 would be merely intent on capturing, with the least possible 

 trouble, sufficient for household wants. During themonsooi. 

 season they place traps in every likely run Avherein biecding 

 fish may pass up narro^v entrances, in order to reach suitablt 



