cxliii 



1870, we f'mcl as follows regarding the times closures occurred, with 

 reference to the number of days — 



From to 10 days, 238 times. 



]()to20 „ 31 „ 



„ 20 to 30 „ 12 „ 



„ 30 to 40 „ 3 „ 



„ 40 to 50 „ 3 „ 



In the Ganges canal slaughtering all tlic fish, whenever it was 

 closed, was carried on when I was there, the numbers of times and the 

 days such has occurred during the last 15 years being as follows : — 



5 years endiiin; December 31st-, 18G0. 

 5 „ „ 18G5 



5 „ „ 1870 



Thus, in round numbers, tliis canal duiing the last five j'ears has 

 had six times more days without water than in the first five years uuder 

 review; whilst the period of time it has beeu kept dry have risen as 

 follows : — 



Ist 5 years — No. of days dry at cacli closure, 9 

 2iid 5 „ „ „ „ 15 



3rd 5 „ „ „ ,. 23 



316. "We now come to tlie fixed engines permitted to exist in 

 these provinces, as shown by the local civil 

 Fixed engines for enpturing pnicers. First, fi.shing-weirs Spanning liiU- 

 or destroying fish, as well as i • i i • 



damming streams, &c. streams. Up which large carps are attempting 



to asccud to breed. In those of Knmaon 

 (see para. 330) "jiraetically it requires a very clever fish to go up for 

 breeding purposes, and return to the point started from uninjured ! for 

 it has to cross and re-cross several of tliese weirs, both on its journey up 

 and down streams." Again in Gurwal, " the rivers are so dammed up 

 bv weirs made on purpose to catch fish, that they cannot always ascend 

 to their spawning ground.?, and fall an easy prey to the peoj)le who are 

 on the watch for them." " Weirs are erected as soon as the monsoon 

 begins to cease, and they remain in existence till carried away in the 

 first flood in the rains. They are placed usually at the tail of each 

 pool, and there is almost always one at the junction of two rivers, thus 

 entirely preventing fisli running up till the wi-ir is carried away bj^ a flood." 

 Tlien in the plains, as the yearly floods begin to suliside, when the fish 

 wliicb have brod, and the youno' which have Ijccn raise<l, try to obtain an 

 exit to the rivers with the I'alling waters — what is it (hat is done? 

 "Weirs are constructed across the little streams which are the natural drains 

 into the rivers down which they are striving to go ; thus, it is stated at 

 13ustee (para. 331) that "fish are killed more or less throughout the 

 year, but the largest numbers are taken towards the end of the rainy 

 season. As the waters fall, countless lakes or jiools of all sizes are 

 formed on the low lands by the rivers. Those which were during the 

 floods mere extensions of the stream, now become lakes with one narrow 

 exit to the river. Across this, nets are stretched or a weir of grass 

 constructed, and every fish that has wandered up becomes a certain prey, 

 being eitlter caught at the weir, or left exposed as the waters fall. The 

 same process takes places on a smaller scale in every field that is under 



