( HT ) 



take care of tliemsplvcs. Nothing uill l)e gained in regulat- 

 ing the size of tlie luosh of nets in waters that yearly dry up, 

 and after all conimuiiication with runniiif/ toate7' has naturally 

 ceased. Neither should regulations extend to private ponds 

 that never comiuuuicate with ruuniug water, and stand in 

 the light of fish pouds in Europe. Moveable coutrivaucea 

 (para. LXX) made of inelastio snhstanees, as fine split 

 bamboos fastened together and fortniug a sort of net, are most 

 destruetive, and regulations regarding the interstices between 

 each piece of the substance of which they are formed are 

 desirable. 



CXXIX. — There are other local means of destruction 

 , ,,. ,. pursued (i)ara. LXXVIII), several of 



winch are most repreheusible, and 

 may well be made penal by local bye-laws, esjjecially fixing 

 books or lines and snngging or snatching at fish. Eut mauy 

 of the plans ])ursued which are considered poaching in Europe, 

 I would suggest, should not be interfered with, at least at pre- 

 sent. The greater evils had first ])etter be grappled with, 

 leaving the minor ones for future consideration. 



CXXX. — Vermin, as crocodiles, are most injurious 

 ^,^^__ .^_ (paras. LXXIXtoLXXXIl) and their 



destruction very desirable. If the fisli 

 arc preserved, these great foes to them should not be permitted 

 to live upon this species of food which is adapted for human 

 beings; also otters are very ruinous to hill fisheries and those 

 iu their vicinity. 



CXXXI. — Lastly, I would shortly draw attention to the 



following question that, — if anything 

 if a!':': w i::^c!^;;:!™::™'' i« ^one to improve the fisheries, who is 



to pay for it ? Are the fisheries to bo 

 improv(Ml for the good of tlie fishermen at the public expense, 

 and are tliey to pocket the increased numbers of the finny 

 tribes, but not pay towards such a residt ? In Great Ihitain, a 

 tax (the moturfa) has been imposed for this purpose on all 

 instruments used for taking fish, but in India angling may 

 well be left free. There are three chief nu)des by which 

 funds maybe raised for this purpose, — (1) by again letting 

 the fisheries, as of old, to contractors under certain specified 

 stipulations, such as tlie size of the mesh of the nets to be eni- 

 ployed, the protection of certain stock-pools, &c., and leaving 

 theui to protect the fisheries ; this will save a great outlay, but 

 to be elfectuallv carried out, leases of from three to [\\'ti years 

 will be necessary ; (2) nets may be licensed, as in the Panjiib, 



