clxx 



none wlio nial;e a liviii"- solely Ijy lisliing, consoquontly ilicvc would 

 be litlle objeuiiou niiseil." " The deslniction of crocodiles' t-'ilgs niiyht 

 be seciiieil by the oiler of a suitable reward." " Whatever regulations 

 it may be found necessary to introduce in other districts could, of 

 course, be introduced here; but there is not in this district such a 

 wanton desecration ( ? destruction) of fish as to diminish the annual 

 supply, or endanf^-er a natural source of cheap food for posterity." 

 The Collector of Baada (August 2nd, 1872) observed that "fish abound 

 iu the district: the fish market in the town of Banda itself is over- 

 Btocked with fish of all kinds during- the rains, but the supply is 

 deficient during- tiie other seasons of the )'ear ; * * the breediug--fish and 

 the young- fish are destroyed in large quantities in the nallui, streams 

 and rivers ; the extent is variously estimated, and may be said to vary 

 from ^rd to \ in the rivers and perennial streams, and from \ to \xA in 

 the other streams and uallan." The smallest mesh used is jth of an inch 

 from knot to knot. Would not recommend any action in future, either 

 as regards the mesh of nets, the sale of fry in the bazars, or the de- 

 Btruction of fish during- the breeding- season. The Officiating Collector 

 of Cawnporc (April tifjth, 1872) replied : " I have the honour to observe 

 that, as fur as my knowledge goes, I am unable to corroborate the im- 

 pression that the fish of the rivers in the parts of India I am acquainted 

 with, are decreasing- in quantity. The arguments for the probability of 

 such being- the case, derived from the analogy of a decrease in certain 

 kinds of iish in English rivers, are not generally applicable to the con- 

 dition of things in India. In the ordinary consumption of iish as food, 

 only an inapprecialile ]iart of the myriads which come to maturity every 

 year is destroyed. * * The State has on its hands as nnieh as it can well 

 undertake, in carrying- through public measures which are not supported 

 by the public oi)inion of the country. I would suggest that any proceed- 

 ing so unpopular, as the prevention of fishing, might with advantage 

 be postponed, until the minds of the people are iu a more settled con- 

 dition than is the case now." 



331. '\^\\.(i Comiiiissioiier of tfie Agra Bivision (in 1869) says that 

 he attributes the opinions expressed by the 



Opinions of the European j- i • t n- ii i <i • • r ii 



Omcials i.. the Agra Divisiou. d'strict olhccrs rather to then- imperlect know- 

 ledge of the subject than to any ascertained 

 data, and observes upon the great destruction of fry which takes place 

 in the vicinity of large towns. In answer to the questions circulated, 

 the Commissioner (February 23id, 1S72) replied that there is " no reason to 

 a|iprehend that any wholesale destruction of fish goes on in these parts. 

 A close time might no doubt be introduced by law for the protection of 

 fish during- the breeding season, but it does not appear to me that it 

 would be easy to carry out such a measure, or that there is any compen- 

 sating object to be gained. * * For the rest, it is a useful maxim — de 

 minimis iw)i curat lex — minute legislation is unbefitting our])Osition in this 

 cmmtry, and more likely to expose our Govenmicnt to ridicule than to 

 lead to any results of important benefits to the people; * * it is in the 

 highest degree undesirable that the ])ublic mind should be disturbed by 

 gratuitous interference on the part of an alien administration, enforced 

 by not very trustworthy agency." The Collector of FurruckaLid re|)orted 

 (February 13th, 1872} that "the principal season ibr catching fish is 



