cxni 



proportion of people who oat fish, but. probably oiic-iliir<l if ilicy noiiltl 

 get it. TJio Kiipi)ly Iwis dfcrenscd owiiip;' to tlicir having been more 

 sought after ami (ho late droughts. Large quantities of very small fish 

 are taken in nets during the rains, the smallest size of the meshes being 

 one-eleventh of an incii. Breeding fish are not trapjied in the fields 

 (luring the rains. The various sorts of fishing carriecl on are netting, 

 trapping, snaring, and poisoning. The nets are common to those cm- 

 ployed elsewhere in India j their local names are as follows: — Peine, 

 8uwale bhuwar, Pagajall, Furukjall, McihajfiU, MuUputty, Ilelku, Khu- 

 wara, Nahootree. 



238. The Tehsildar of Bnhlana states that there are about 3,000 



„ . . o ,, . „ fishermen in the district, amongst whom a 



Onrnuin of N.ativo omcial nt h t ^ • i ji ' i i 



lj„],,^„„ very small numlier restrict tliomselves to 



fishing : their castes are Mtdharkollcp, Bobe- 

 kollee, Bhoee, Bhamlee. The local markets arc not fully supjilied with 

 fish; there is a demand for more. The cost of fish is for large sorts four, 

 and for small eight seers for a rupee ; for mutton first sort four, second sort 

 six seers a rupee. Nine-tenths of the population are fish-eaters. The 

 supply has decreased of late years owing to the droughts. Verj' minute 

 ones are taken in small (juantities during (he rains by means of nets and 

 cloths. The minimum size of the mesh of nets employed is one-third of 

 an inch. Fish are not tr.ipped during (he rains. The various sorts of 

 fishing are as follows: first by means of nets termed " jalla;" secondly 

 by hooks called " gull ;" thirdly by traps, "Essara," which is done by erect- 

 ing rough stone piles on both sides of a stream, then spreading a mat of the 

 " Nurgood" j)lant over the piles ; the stream is then diverted, so as to pour 

 over the mat, on which as the stream falls the fish aie taken. This 

 mode is resorted to when the water is as deep as the knee. Fish are 

 also taken by means of " Goomlas," which somewhat resemble the straw 

 envelopes for bottles ; they are made of reeds of the " Nurgood" plant ; 

 these trajjs are placed in shallow streams in the rainy season into which 

 the fish enter, but it prevents tiieir return. Another plan is to make a 

 pit in the bed of a river, then to cut a channel into it from the stream ; as 

 the water goes in the fish enter with it. Distuibing the water of a stream 

 so as to cause it to become muddy is said sometimes to cause the fish to die. 

 2.'59. The Tehsildar of Bassim states there are 500 fishermen 

 known as Bhoees in the district, but they all 



Opinion of tlic Niitivc ofTiciiil i ,1 .■ r i ■ 1 * 



of BisMni have other occu|iations ; tisning, liowevcr, is 



not restricted to a particular class, for ex- 

 cluding the Brahmins, men of all other castes at times join in it. The 

 weekly markets are well supplied with fish, but probably more could 

 be sold, two-thirds of the people being fish-e.aters. Fish arc indis- 

 criminately caught in all seasons without regard to size. The smallest 

 size of the mesh of the nets may be described as so very minute as not 

 (o admit the esenjie of any but the very smallest fry. Fish are taken 

 by hook, "gull;" nets, " jhalur ;" damming streams, and by means of 

 ])oison, " jher," but no other traps or snares arc in general use. 



2'10. Tiie Tehsildar of Amraoiee gives 80 fishermen, "Bhoees," all 



of whom follow other occupations. The mar- 



An?,'no'ioc! "'' ^"'''" ''"'''''' "'' I^ots are iusunicicntly supplied. The cost of 



fish is, for large, 8 annas, and for small, t 



P 



